Love, Unconditionally
by krissyg927
Summary: Trying to make a life for himself and his teenage son after a messy divorce, Daryl moves next door to a very different kind of family and learns what unconditional love is all about. I can't give too much away in this synopsis but I hope you all enjoy it and will let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1

**_This story is_** **** ** _all over the place and so non-canon_** **** ** _it makes my little black heart grow like the grinch's. I hope you like this big ball of fluff I_** ** _'_** ** _ve got here. xxxKrissy_**

Geana knew her daughter was gay; it was something always in the back of her mind. She remembered exactly when the thought first crossed her mind and many times after that too. It was always there, in the back of her mind, reminding her always to be careful of Tara's feelings.

She was only sixteen, and it was a cruel word out there to everyone who was different. Words like queer and homo and dyke existed in a world that should know better but didn't.

People were assholes, even in your own family. Kelsey was different than Tara and younger by almost two years. Kelsey had already had a boyfriend or two, while Tara concentrated on school and grades, which didn't come as easily to her as to Kelsey.

Somehow Geana just knew. It wasn't just because she was concentrating on school, as Geana's mother always said. Grandma Gallagher didn't have a clue, but Geana did.

When Tara was in kindergarten a classmate's mother approached her at the back to school night and said her son had a crush on Tara.

"He just loves her beautiful long hair." The woman had said to Geana.

If it had been Kelsey, she would have run home in excitement to tell her mother about this boy, because according to the mother, he made no secret about how he felt. Tara didn't say a word to Geana at all.

When she asked Tara about him that night, Tara just shrugged.

Geana took note of that, and it was the first time she thought to herself, maybe. And it was ok with her; she just wanted Tara to be happy.

Her ex husband was a jerk on the best of days and when he remarked at her friend Richard's funeral that 'He got what was coming to him' because he was gay and died from PCP pneumonia, a common complication associated with AIDS, Geana knew she needed to make a plan.

It took her a few years, but she got their freedom on a cold February day, and for the most part, they were ok now, better than they ever could be with him.

When Tara was twelve, and Kelsey was ten, she packed them up in the middle of the night and left him. Although he lived just a few towns away, Keith didn't see his children ever. He had remarried some blonde floozy with four children all under the age of ten.

Tara and Kelsey didn't understand, and maybe they didn't care, but the three of them were making a life for themselves in a lovely little town.

Geana's house was always full of kids, and that was just how she liked it. He would have never allowed that either, and Geana suspected the girls knew that.

On any given day they would have two or three extra kids for dinner and the weekends were always filled with fun and laughter.

Tara was a theater kid and sang in the chorus as did most of her friends, and as cliché as it was, a few of them made no secret of their sexual orientation.

Geana welcomed them all into her home with open arms and sometimes cried at the stories some of them told her about their families not accepting them.

She accepted all of them and if they came over at night and she was asleep it wasn't uncommon for her to be woken up by four or five teenagers jumping into her bed. _She was like the gay_ _den mother of the town,_ _and all the kids loved her, and she them, every one of them._

Tara's and Kelsey's friends came over every New Year's Eve for her sober party, and they chose to come to her house and do the Time Warp in her living room, instead of going out and getting drunk or into trouble.

Life was good for them, after years of sadness that she tried to hide from her girls, but they saw it and now they knew the difference.

It was October, the weekend before they had all dressed up and gone to Rocky Horror and then the kids all camped out in the living room. Her ex-husband would have a stroke if she knew she let boys stay over too, but she didn't answer to him anymore. Tara's best friend Chris was a boy, and he was allowed to sleep in her room if he needed a place to crash to get away from his family.

He was respectful of Tara and clearly not interested in her that way. Chris liked boys, and the absent, judgmental father would have never stood for that.

Geana was upstairs in the loft of the house where she had made a little office for herself. She was back in school, trying to finish college, gradually and working full time now to make the bills. She heard Tara come in and she called down hello to her.

Usually, Tara would say "Hi Mom" and go to the kitchen in search of food, but she didn't this time.

"Can you come down Mom? I need to talk to you." Geana picked her head up out of the textbook she had been reading and looked over the ledge of the loft at her daughter in the foyer.

 _This is_ _it Geana; she_ _'_ _s going to tell you. Geana thought to herself._

"Be right there sweetie." And then she went downstairs and sat next to her daughter on the stairs.

"I have to tell you something, but it's hard," Tara murmured.

Geana took her child's hand in hers. "You can tell me anything, and it will never change us or how I feel about you. No matter what it is. I will always love you."

"I…think…I..."

 _Just say it, Tara thought to herself._

 _"_ _I think I like girls."_

"I know honey."

Tara looked up at her with a funny expression on her face, somewhere between disbelief and shock. "You do?"

Geana nodded. Tara didn't say anything for a few minutes and then she spoke carefully.

"Is that why you left Dad?"

"What do you mean?" Geana thought she had hidden all of that from them and it was shocking to her that she hadn't been as careful as she thought.

"Come on Mom; I know about all the crap he used to say about Uncle Richard." Richard had been such a good friend to Geana, much to Keith's dismay, that her children called him Uncle Richard.

"You do?"

Tara nodded. "He would never have accepted me; you knew that, didn't you?"

Geana didn't get a chance to answer her because Kelsey was busting through the door in all of her usual teenage fanfare. She stopped short in the hallway when she saw her mother and sister sitting on the stairs.

"Everything ok?"

"Talking about Keith," Tara said.

"Oh fuck him," Kelsey replied as she dropped her backpack on the floor. "You ok Tar?"

"I told her."

"Told her what?" Kelsey asked.

"It," Tara said with her eyes full and wide and then Kelsey got it.

"And let me guess, she knew already?"

Tara nodded.

"Told you. Mom isn't dumb, even if you insisted on being so far in the closet you were almost to Narnia, can we go to Taco Bell?"


	2. Chapter 2

Geana looked over at the house next door that had been vacant for the entire time they lived there, four years now, and there was a sold sign on it. The girls came up behind her in the driveway and looked over with her. There was a truck in the other driveway too and music coming from inside the house. Whoever it was liked Nirvana and Geana was ok with that.

 _My heart is broke,_ _but I have some glue…_

"What, we go to Taco Bell, and when we get back there are new neighbors?" Kelsey said.

"Maybe the sign had been there a while, and we didn't notice?" Geana said.

"Doubt that but they like Nirvana, so maybe you'll make a new friend mom," Tara said

As if on cue a boy came out the front door, and Kelsey let out a screech. "Chase!" The light haired boy turned and broke out into a wide grin at the sight of her, and she was off and running to the porch of the house next door.

"Guess she knows him from school," Tara said with a shrug.

Geana smiled and called over to Kelsey to come home, she said a few words to Chase, and they nodded heads, and she was back with her mother and sister.

"That's Chase Dixon; he's in my class, he and his dad just moved in." She rattled off as they walked up the steps to their house. "He's single Mom."

"Kelsey!" Geana turned back at her. "Don't be ridiculous, that's the last thing I need is a guy to complain that I'm always at work or school."

"Maybe he cooks Mom." Tara laughed. "We already know he likes your precious Nirvana." Tara elbowed her mother. "Maybe he's cute."

"Maybe you should go to bed kid." She said, turning both girls towards the stairs.

"Whatever Mom, but you need a life too," Tara said.

"I have a life, with your guys."

"Yeah, like I said, you need a life." Tara laughed as they opened the door and went inside. Geana hugged both of her girls close to her and smiled at how innocent they both were. They had no real knowledge of what grown-up life was and the ways of the world.

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As Geana settled in her room later for a night of studying, she reflected on the evening. Tara and Kelsey made her proud every day, and their father was an asshole for not seeing them at all. She tried so hard to make it, so their lives didn't miss him, but she knew they missed the idea of him. The idea of a father, the idea of a father's unconditional love and it made her sad for them.

She thought about the new neighbors, a man raising his child alone, she admired him already, and they hadn't even laid eyes on each other yet.

She opened her books and got to work to make a better life for her and her daughters. She couldn't work at the library forever; soon they would be getting ready for college. That would cost money, and Keith already told her he wasn't giving them a dime for school.

Geana had her sights set on a job in journalism, a way to use her photography skills to make a living. She wanted to ensure her girls had everything they would need.

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Daryl cooked dinner for himself and Chase after they stopped unpacking for the night, and they sat at the island in their kitchen eating the simple meal of macaroni and cheese. As always they talked about their day, Daryl's at the garage that he co-owned with his brother and Chase's day at school.

Daryl's ex-wife had run off, literally with one of the guys at her job, leaving Daryl a note filled with all of the ways that she found fault in him. He hadn't seen it coming, and for the first few months, he walked around in shock.

Chase was what kept him going after that, he had been left by the only woman he had ever loved or been with, and it almost destroyed him.

It was Merle who suggested he sell the house he lived with her in and buy something for him and Chase to start over in; it had been good advice. He did love the house they had now and look forward to making it his own and something nice for Chase.

"Who's the girl next door that you flew out the door to see," Daryl asked.

"Kelsey Chambler, had my eye on her all year, imagine the luck, hey?" Chase said as he piled macaroni and cheese into his face.

"I have a good feeling about this place," Daryl replied.

"Me too, Dad," Chase said settling his eyes on his father, "This was a good idea."

Daryl nodded.

"She's cute," Chase said.

"Kelsey?"

"Her mom, I happen to know she's single," Chase said with a grin as his father made a face at him, "What? You ain't getting any younger ya know."

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A few days later, Geana sat on her back deck looking through her sunglasses at the magnificent sight before her, she had a book in her lap, but she hadn't looked at it since he came outside. She was rooted to her lounge chair, unable to move or look away from the minute he went out into his back yard.

Her new neighbor, the father, was mowing the lawn, and now he was drinking from the hose next to his house. The water was running down his chest and wetting his sleeveless shirt, and Geana couldn't take her eyes away from him.

It was a hot day out and getting hotter by the minute. Where was her camera when she needed it? No, that was creepy, but still, she wished she had it, he would be a great subject.

Her eyes drifted over his wide shoulders and flat stomach, and she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time, desire.

She was sure he couldn't see her because the hedges next to her deck blocked his view, but she could hear his music playing. He did like the good music, and he was so easy on the eyes.

In reality, Daryl was one hundred percent aware that his cute neighbor was checking him out.

The hose was a show, just as the long gulp of lemonade he took a ten minutes before when he first noticed her, the hedges weren't as tall as she thought they were.

He wasn't that thirsty, and he let half of it run down over his neck, just like that old soda commercial. He didn't know what had gotten into him, but it was fun.

Next, he planned to take off his shirt if she stayed out there long enough.

Geana didn't see Tara behind her in the doorway or even hear her come out onto the deck, followed by Kelsey.

"Whatcha doing mom?" Tara said and then she turned and saw what had her mother so captivated.

Geana turned to her daughter and smiled, "Nothing, nothing at all…"

"Oh, he's beautiful," Kelsey said from behind Tara, "An older version of Chase."

Tara nodded her head, "Yeah man," and Kelsey looked at her older sister with a quirk to her eye.

"Hey, I can still appreciate the male form, but girls are just softer, and they smell nicer. I'm gonna go make him some cookies, Kels wanna help, and we can bring them over later."

Kelsey stood up on a wooden deck chair and waved to him, "Heyyy, hey Mr. Dixon."

Daryl looked over and waved back "He's really good looking mom, happy to know you aren't dead," Tara said as she leaned down to where her mother sat in the lounge chair.

"Not interested." She said as she lifted her hand to wave at him, he waved back, "Definitely not interested."

"No offense, Mom," Tara said, "But you were out here drooling over that guy, don't even say you weren't."


	3. Chapter 3

_**This story is about to take a turn, I hope you will enjoy the ride. xxxx Krissy.**_

Daryl sat out on his deck late that night having a smoke, and the lights were on in the house next door. Chase's friend's mother was walking around in one of the upstairs rooms, and he watched her. He hadn't intended to look at her, but he'd looked up and then couldn't look away.

She was beautiful and just his type, and it seemed like she was his age, definitely a bonus.

Chase had said she was divorced like Daryl was and Chase wanted to invite them all over for dinner.

Daryl knew that his son had his eye on the younger of the three women that lived there and right now he had his eye on the oldest, the mother.

He wasn't a dinner party type of guy, but for his son, he might do it. Hell, maybe he'd do it for himself because she was just about the prettiest woman he had seen in a long time.

The divorce had ruined him, financially and emotionally, his wife had left him for another man, because he worked too much, trying to make a life for her and their son. He could abide that, if she was done with him, she was done with him, but she hadn't seen Chase in two years.

The last Daryl knew she was in the Bahamas living with the guy she'd left with.

It was no wonder the kid looked towards any female to be a mother figure; it broke his heart.

Daryl watched her putting her hair up into a bun, then she walked into a bathroom, and he sighed. He shouldn't be watching her, but she had watched him that afternoon. He hated to admit it, but it made his motor run to look at her this way and to know she had looked at him.

Daryl was relieved when she came out of the bathroom already changed into her pajama's because he felt like a creep sitting there in the dark looking in her window. He wasn't trying to see her naked, not really; he just liked watching her.

He didn't even know her name.

Geana grabbed a book and sat down on her bed; she looked over at the sliding doors that lead out to a small deck off her bedroom on the second story, her favorite part of this house. It was a warm night, and she needed some air.

Daryl ducked into the shadows as she opened the door and stepped out onto the small balcony. She breathed in the evening air and leaned over the balcony, and he prayed she couldn't see him. She wore a concert T-shirt, Pearl Jam, he approved, and sleep shorts, and she looked so sexy to him.

He felt something that had been long dead stir inside him, and it took his breath away.

"Juliette, huh?" He heard Chase whisper next to him.

"Where'd you come from," Daryl hissed.

"You said you were having a smoke, looks like you had three," Chase laughed, and his smile and the way it lit up his eyes was his father's, "Wait till Uncle Merle hears."

"Uncle Merle hears what?"

"That you're over it, I'm gonna go call Greta," Chase said, referring to Merle's daughter, his cousin, who was a year older than he was, "Aunt Andrea is gonna be happy too."

"Chase, I've been over it, I just don't wanna…"

"Yeah, ok I'm gonna call Greta," Chase opened the sliding door, "You can stay out here and peep out Kelsey's mom."

"Jerk," Daryl said with a laugh because that was the way they were with each other.

"Creep," Chase said as he closed the door.

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The next day, very early in the morning, Geana put her earbuds in and slid her phone into her back pocket as she walked down her basement stairs. On one side was a den, with a TV, stereo, and couches for the kids to lay on, and on the other end was her workspace.

Today was a work at home day.

She turned the music up and the words to the song came on, she sang along, like she always did to 'When You Were Young' by The Killers. Music was a lifeline to her, and she was rarely without it during her day.

You sit there in your heartache

Waiting on some beautiful boy to

To save you from your old ways

You play forgiveness

Watch it now, here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus

But he talks like a gentlemen

Like you imagined when you were young

Gena had a dark room downstairs in her basement, and she spent a lot of time down there when she wasn't at work or studying. All around the room were cameras and a clothesline with various pictures of her girls hanging from it, also some scenery pictures she had taken.

Her enlarger that she saved from the dumpster after she moved out of her ex-husband's house sat in the corner with old fashioned fixer baths next to it. She developed her own film and printed her own pictures, a lost art for sure in the age of cell phones and selfies.

Sometimes she worked late into the night there and then she studied. Her ex almost ruined all her dreams when he threw her things away, but she had saved them, she had saved herself and her children too.

She got to work on her latest project and soon was swaying to the music as she printed pictures of her children and their friends then hung them on the drying line.

Geana was down there for most of the day. Tara and Kelsey had friends over, and they were watching TV in the den, every once in a while, a kid would wander in to say hello to her or to talk. Sometimes they helped her in the darkroom and talked with her about things that were going on in their lives.

Geana welcomed each one of them and listened as they talked to her, she had a soft spot for Chris especially, he was charismatic and a sweet boy, loyal and a wonderful friend to Tara. His family treated him like shit, and he especially liked Geana, he spent a lot of time in the darkroom helping her and talking and she treated him as if he was her son. It was sad that a lot of the kids came from those kind of backgrounds.

Sometimes it was like Geana was the only one that cared about them.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Taking that turn I told you all about, let me know what you think, reviews make me write more :)**_

It was one am, on a Monday night and she was still awake, Daryl knew because his window faced hers, the one with the little balcony, although they were at least fifty feet apart. He could see her sitting on the bed long after the rest of the lights went out in the house; Geana was studying.

Daryl could tell she was hard at work because she wore glasses and had a pen or a pencil between her lips, every once in a while, she would write something down in a notebook beside her. It seemed she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.

He sat cross-legged on his bed with an ashtray and cigarette in front of him and watched her again. Just like he had done the other night, but this time Chase was already asleep and wouldn't be busting him.

Daryl admired her tenacity, and her drive to improve herself, that made her even more attractive to him. After their little game earlier in the week, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her.

He could tell she had curly auburn hair, but he wanted to know more about her. What color were her eyes, what did her voice sound like? How soft was her skin, and how would it feel under his hands?

For the first time since he read that letter from Sandy, Daryl was attracted to someone, and he intended to eat it up with a spoon, with any luck, eat her up with a spoon someday.

Daryl turned on his iPod because he needed to listen to music a lot to shut down the thoughts that sometimes clouded his head, ever since Sandy had left. She had ruined him for a long time, but now, as he closed the curtains and took one last look at Geana, he felt like a man again. A man who was admiring a beautiful woman, someone he'd like to get to know, and then he laid down on the bed to listen to "Thirty-Three" by The Smashing Pumpkins, one of his favorite bands.

Daryl let his mind wander to things he hadn't thought about in a long time.

These thoughts were pleasant ones, and he welcomed them, they were so different than the tape of shit that usually played through his brain.

The music helped keep the bad thoughts away mostly, and he was pleasantly surprised to have good thoughts this time.

"Speak to me in a language I can hear, humor me before I have to go.

Deep in thought, I forgive everyone.

As the cluttered streets greet me once again,

I know I can't be late, supper's waiting on the table.

Tomorrow's just an excuse away."

Part of him felt like a creep, just like the other night as he closed his eyes and imagined her next to him. Geana, Chase had said her name was Geana, and it was beautiful on his lips as he said it out loud.

Feeling like a creep didn't matter now because a more primal part of him was in charge now, and would have its way no matter that. He sighed as he let his mind wander and listened to the music.

Tomorrow he would introduce himself to her, but tonight she was going to be his fantasy because that was a luxury he seldom allowed himself to have.

"So I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own.

The earth laughs beneath my heavy feet

At the blasphemy in my old jangly walk.

Steeple guide me to my heart and home,

The sun is out and up and down again,

I know I'll make it, love can last forever,

Graceful swans of never topple to the earth.

And you can make it last, forever you

You can make it last, forever you."

Daryl imagined what her skin might feel like, what it would taste like under his lips and tongue. He imagined kissing down her neck and hearing her moans of approval. It was like she was there with him; he could almost taste her lips as he slid his hand over his boxers and throbbing dick.

"And for a moment I lose myself.

Wrapped up in the pleasures of the world.

I've journeyed here and there and back again

But in the same old haunts, I still find my friends

Mysteries not ready to reveal

Sympathies I'm ready to return

I'll make the effort; love can last forever."

It was a relief to him that he could still have this kind of feelings, and for a moment he let himself imagine her, imagine himself with his face between her beautiful legs.

"Tomorrow's just an excuse

And you can make it last, forever you

You can make it last, forever you."

A man could dream, couldn't he?

It seemed he wasn't dead inside after all.

The iPod clicked onto "I Want You So Bad" by Pearl Jam, and he would have laughed if he wasn't already deep into thought about her.

 _My friends are talking,_ _and they're telling you, don't waste your time cause the boys bad news. I want you so hard I want you so good, but can you trust me?_ _Yes, you know you could._

Daryl imagined kissing her and the feel of her body under him, and it was almost too much. The music played in his ears, and soon he was palming his dick and reaching his hand inside to grasp it. It had been a long time since he felt this fired up over anyone and he wished like hell she was there with him.

Geana's face floated before his eyes as he worked himself into a frenzy and the fire blazed through his blood.

Daryl imagined the smell of her hair, fresh and clean and her lips on his as he pumped his aching dick and he knew it wouldn't be long. It had been two years since he had any sexual feelings at all and now they were flooding his body and mind.

Goose bumps erupted all over his body, and he felt the burning need to let go, his blood was a raging fire, and his heart was pounding out of his chest; it was good to feel alive again after so long.

There was no reason to hold back, and he just let himself cum hard with her name on his lips as he fell back onto the pillows on the bed with a thud.


	5. Chapter 5

Geana spent the next day at work, at the library and at lunch time she went for a walk to the café nearby. Because it was a beautiful day out, she called her friend Meghan to meet her for lunch. They hadn't seen each other in a while, and it was just what they both needed, they drank coffee and ate as they both talked about their lives.

Meghan had just gotten out of rehab, not for the first time and was trying to make a go at sober life. Geana understood that, having walked on that side of the tracks a long time ago. She loved Meghan no matter what, and the feeling was reciprocated in turn. They had known each other all their lives.

The friends shared a long conversation, updating each other on their lives since they hadn't seen each other in three months while Meghan was away trying to change her life. There was always a lot to talk about even though they had known each other for years; it was that kind of friendship.

Geana and the kids had lived with Meghan when she left Keith; it had been Meghan who helped her get a storage unit and hide some things that were of value to her before she left, helped her pack that last day and took them to her house. It was Meghan who she confided in after Kelsey was born that her marriage was over.

Geana waited until the girls were old enough before she left, so they would be able to tell her if their father mistreated them during weekend visitation. It was ironic that he never even asked for visitation after he remarried, she'd stayed ten years for nothing.

For all her faults, Meghan was Geana's best friend, and they accepted each other unconditionally. Geana had been able to beat the alcohol addiction that still had Meghan in its grasp, and soon she hoped her friend would be able to do the same. It wasn't easy, and Geana knew that all too well.

Geana and the girls lived with Meghan for seven months after the divorce, and it got so that it was hard to leave after a while. But Geana had saved enough money to buy her house, and with the help of a small inheritance she had hidden away, she and her kids had their own place now.

She missed her friend though these past few months, without Meghan there had been no adult to talk to when she needed it, a life surrounded by kids was fantastic, but Tara had been right, she longed for adult conversation.

Sometimes Meghan drank a lot and got stupid, but Geana would never forget the kindness she had shown her when she needed it. Nothing could break the bond they'd had since they were fourteen. They met in Algebra class and became best friends over poor grades and the inability to understand this new math.

Now, so many years later, through so much trauma in both their lives, they were still just as close.

"Wanna hit the one o'clock at St. Mary's," Meghan asked Geana when they sat down, but Geana begged off because she only had an hour for lunch.

"I can't today, how about tomorrow?"

"Kool, but I'm going to ask for a sponsor today," Meghan replied, "Going to do this AA thing right, is Betsy still around?"

"Yup," Geana replied, referring to Meghan's old sponsor, "I saw her over the summer at a meeting."

"Think she'll take me on again?"

"She will if you don't drink," Geana replied.

"Not gonna, not this time," She said and smiled at her longtime friend. Geana nodded and smiled at her.

"I know you can do it," Geana said.

"So what's new with the kids?" Meghan asked, "Seems like I haven't seen them in forever."

"Come over sometime, they'd love to see you," Geana said taking some of her salad on her fork and putting it into her mouth.

"Ok, how about over the weekend, we can watch the cut my throat trifecta, what do you think?" Meghan said as her clear blue eyes gleamed.

The cut my throat trifecta being, Titanic, City of Angels, and Terms of Endearment, which Meghan and Geana had watched more times than was probably good for them. Meghan was an incurable romantic, and many times it was men that were her downfall, but they both loved to watch old tearjerkers, cry it out and eat to excess.

"Sounds great to me, come Friday, I have to work Saturday," Geana replied, but Meghan was getting distracted, and right at that moment, Meghan's eyes lit up at something outside, "We can gorge on junk food and Popcorn, too."

"And virgin margarita's," Meghan murmured still looking at the door to the cafe, "Jesus Christ that guy looks like a model," She said, "Don't look, don't look."

Of course, Geana was going to look and to her shock, her neighbor, the father who she had yet to meet, was walking into the café and getting on line for coffee. He was dressed in jeans and a blue work shirt complete with Timberland work boots.

"Come to Mamma," Meghan whispered, and Geana let out a groan as he approached, Meghan was not known for subtlety, this was going to be embarrassing.

Geana still didn't know his name, and she still felt lightheaded at the thought of him taking his shirt off the other day in his yard, when he was aware that she was looking from her deck.

Kelsey had made sure he knew they were out there when she yelled over to him, and once the kids went inside, he'd taken his shirt off and grinned at her.

Daryl nodded and gave her a wry smile again, as if to say, we have a secret you and me, as he passed the table and then Meghan started slapping Geana's arm like a mad woman.

"What the fuck was that, who is he, do you know him?" Meghan said, "What the fuck. What. The. Fuck?"

"He's my new neighbor," Geana replied, "Moved in a few days ago."

"Are you shitting me?" Meghan continued as she followed his movements with her eyes, while his back was to them, "Holy crap girl, welcome to the neighborhood."

Meghan turned back to her friend with a shit eating grin on her face.

"I swear to God, Geana if you don't get some of that, I'm going to check you into a mental hospital because he is _fine."_

"How do you know he isn't married?" Geana whispered.

"No ring," Meghan said, "Believe me I checked."

"A lot of men don't wear them for work ya know," Geana laughed, "But I do know he's divorced."

"Alright then," Meghan replied, as she looked back over at him ordering his coffee and sandwich, "Let's flag him down and get introduced."

"Don't you fucking dare," Geana hissed and grabbed Meghan's hand, "I'm not kidding Meg."

"Ok fine," Meghan shrugged, she knew when to drop it with Geana, "But I expect…"

"Expect nothing cause it's not gonna happen," Geana replied.

"I dunno, he did smile at you," Meghan said wistfully.

"You're insane; you know that right," Geans laughed.

"I'm well aware of that, I'll drop it for now, but you haven't heard the last of this from me," She laughed.

"Don't I know it, " Geana said and sipped her coffee as he walked by again and smiled at her again. Geana turned to Meghan who was just about to speak, as Geana knew she would, "Shut up."

Then they laughed again, finished their lunch and Meghan walked Geana back to the library before going to her 1pm AA meeting at the church across the street.

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Later, around dinner time, Daryl and Chase had visitors, Tara and Kelsey arrived holding the plate of cookies they had made. Chase walked up behind him and smiled an award winning Dixon smile at the two girls who were giggling.

"Hey girls." Chase said as he opened the door wider to them, "Dad this is Kelsey and Tara."

Inside a blonde haired girl about their age lay on the couch, she sat up as the girls came into the house. She was Greta, Chase's cousin the child of Merle and Andrea Dixon and Chase had just been telling her about the new neighbors. Chase was full of excitement as he talked to his cousin and eluded to something with his father and smoking too much which Greta didn't quite understand. But, her Uncle Daryl growled at what Chase had said, and Chase had just laughed.

"Nice to meet you both," Daryl said as Greta walked across the room to them. She was a blonde haired, blue eyed beauty just like her mother, but she was all Merle Dixon in her personality.

"Tara and Kelsey," Chase said as they held out the cookies to him, "This is my cousin Greta from Montgomery."

"Hey," Greta said as she took her place next to Daryl.

"They just moved in next door," Chase said, as if he hadn't told Greta that already, luckily she played along, Dixon's always had each other's backs, and they were more like siblings than cousins anyway.

"Oh, you're Kelsey," Greta said with a smile and a wink, then she winked at Tara, "Hey Tara, nice to meet you."

The three girls sat down on the couch together, while Chase sat in the chair opposite them, and Daryl excused himself to go out for a smoke. He needed it, because part of him felt so guilty for wacking off thinking about the mother of these two girls, but another part of him felt grateful.

When Sandy spewed her venom about how useless he was, how she had found someone better he had believed her. He'd not dared to think about women after that, and now there was a woman on his mind.

The four kids hung out all evening at Daryl's house and were fast becoming great friends. Two hours later, Geana texted Tara and told them they were wearing out their welcome, Daryl told Tara to say they were always welcome, and so was she.

That was a huge step for him, and Chase knew it, so did Greta, who was in the middle of asking Tara and Kelsey to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show in a few weeks with her and some friends. Greta was old enough to drive now, and she drove Chase to school every day.

She had already said it was no problem to pick up Tara and Kelsey too if they wanted, they did but stated that they had to ask Geana first.

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Fifteen minutes later Geana was ringing his doorbell, he opened the door and looked at the petite woman in jeans and a t-shirt, he smiled at her and held out his hand.

"Hi," He said as she took his hand to shake, "I'm Daryl."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Geana," She said with a bright smile as he met her eyes, they both remembered the afternoon she watched him doing yard work, and he remembered last night.

"That was you at Cool Beans wasn't it?" He said, with a laugh, "Or else I…"

"It was me," Geana said, remembering Meghan's hissy fit over him.

Daryl invited her in, although he felt guilty for objectifying her he wanted to make a friend, for the first time in a long time.

"Come on in; the kids are making plans to go to Rocky Horror in two weeks, I hope you don't mind." He said to her.

"My mother used to dress up as Magenta back in the day, trust me she doesn't mind," Tara said with a laugh as her mother walked into the living room. Tara and Chris had always told Geana that she could still pull it off too if she wanted to.

"You don't say," Daryl replied, pulling up some courage from somewhere to flirt with her just a little bit, "Come, I'll get you something to drink."

Geana could hear Nirvana playing in the background "Aneurysm" one of her favorite songs by them.

 _Come on over and do the twist._

As she sat down at the kitchen island, she remarked to him that she liked Nirvana and he smiled as he poured her soda.

"Good taste in music," Daryl leaned against the counter opposite her, "Dress like Magenta, tell me is there anything not to like about you?"

Oh, Dixon, you haven't done this in a long time, he thought to himself, way to come on too strong. But she just smiled at him and eased his mind in one moment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to everyone who had given me feed back on this story, it means so much to me. I appreciate all of you xxx Krissy**

Geana and the girls ended up staying for dinner, they ordered pizza, and after dinner, the four kids played video games as Daryl and Geana talked in the kitchen. It was mostly small talk and talk about the kids, the school and music, but they had an easy conversation.

Daryl put on Pandora, and they listened to music, discussed each song as it came on and found they liked a lot of the same stuff. Both of them had influenced their children's taste in music, and they laughed about that.

Their philosophy on parenting matched, both of them coming from homes where they weren't made to feel important. They agreed that children needed to feel like someone loved them and had their back. They were both correcting their similar family legacy in their own way.

Geana told him about her open door policy at home for Tara and Kelsey's friends, how some of the kids had bad home lives and needed her.

She didn't want Daryl to think there was something unsavory going on at her house, because it could look that way, with kids coming and going all the time. She needn't have worried, Daryl was the same with Chase and his friends.

He understood all too well what it felt like to have nowhere to go, or no one who cared about him, he wanted to give his son what he never had. No matter what was going on in Daryl's life, he always put Chase first, something the child's mother didn't want to do.

It was hard to think of Geana as a mother at all, he didn't see her that way, to him she was a beautiful woman. But by her own admission, she was everyone's Mommy in the neighborhood, and it made him want to know more about her.

Another first for him.

Knowing she had watched him mow the lawn with interest was making him braver than he had ever thought he could be. He had never been this apprehensive before, Sandy had done a number on his ego, but slowly he was dipping his foot into the pool again.

Very slowly.

Underneath that fear though, was a simmering pot that would boil over sooner or later.

There was no talk about the other thing that was happening between them. Both of them avoided the subject of their mutual voyeurism.

It was easy to watch someone, not so easy to make the jump into something you hadn't jumped into in a long time.

It could end up being a refreshing pool of cool and exhilarating water or a scalding hot bathtub that would burn you. That was the thing about it, and they had both been burned enough for a lifetime.

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That night Geana was on the phone with Meghan giving her the details of the evening because they were like a couple of kids when they were together, or talked on the phone. Of course, Meghan was egging her on to make a pass at Daryl, soon.

They laughed long into the night many times on the phone, and this would be no different. Meghan remembered what Geana had been like when she was married, her ex-husband had all but snuffed out her flame, but it was back and burning bright.

Together, as teenagers, they had been a deadly combination, each egging the other on to do new things and most of those things they shouldn't have been doing. This was no different than those times. But they were older and somewhat wiser now.

 _If you jump off the bridge into the bay,_ _I will too. Let's ditch school and hop a train into the city._

"Settle down you, I'm not in any rush for anything, I'm busy," Geana said to her friend, "And I just met him."

"Yeah I know, but if you don't use that thing it's gonna grow cobwebs," Meghan said with a laugh, "Have you even fucked anyone since that dickless wonder you were married to?"

"No," Geana replied.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," Meghan said, "Seriously, I bet he rocks it in the sack, he just has that look about him."

"Megs you are not right," Geana laughed.

"You just noticed that?" She said, "I think it's high time you got laid properly, God knows you weren't getting it good when you were married."

Geana laughed again because unfortunately, that was true, her ex never cared to make sure she was enjoying herself in bed, he flat out said it was too much effort.

"Alright," Meghan continued, "I'll be over with my binoculars this weekend, make sure you have ice and that fancy blender of yours ready. We can watch movies, spy on that gorgeous man and have midnight margaritas. Oh oh, we can watch Practical Magic too." And she proceeded to cackle like a witch, "Witch!"

"Slut!" Geana countered, quoting the movie and remembering them again as teenagers, giving each other a hard time, just like they were now.

"Since when is being a slut a crime in this family?" Meghan replied, which caused them both to break out into more laughter.

Daryl could hear her laughing as he sat on his deck because her window was open. Geana had a musical laugh that floated along the wind towards him, and he hoped, as he sat down there in the darkness looking up at her window that he would get to hear it again and more often.

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Geana was thinking about what Meghan had said, as she stood on the balcony a few nights later. She was looking across the yard at his window, but not for the first time and saw him walk by taking off his shirt. He tossed it on the floor, and she stepped back into the shadows where she hoped she wouldn't be seen. She'd watched him a few times though and was fairly sure he knew, but still, she didn't want to be that obvious.

Her eyes traveled involuntarily down over his chest to his hips where the jeans now hung obscenely low. She couldn't take her eyes away from his lean hips and broad chest, and then she let her eyes wander lower still.

Daryl had a working man's body, and she would have bet he never lifted weights at all, his work probably kept him in the excellent shape he was in.

Geana felt like a teenager with a crush, like one of her kids, both the ones she bore and the ones she unofficially adopted. They were always laughing and giggling about crushes and who liked who, who called who, and she felt that way. She was giddy with anticipation, with butterflies in her stomach at the sight of him, what was happening to her?

She wondered again if Daryl knew she was out there and then realized he did when he turned and looked right at her.

Then he did the hottest thing Geana had ever seen in her life, he nodded at her and unbuckled his jeans. His eyes never left hers as he unzipped them but didn't take them off. Then he nodded towards her again, and she didn't understand at first, but he smiled when she slipped her robe down her shoulders and let it fall to the ground.

Distance could make even the shyest, person brave he supposed and he watched her intently.

Geana sighed, she had just met him, and already she was burning to play this game with him, his eyes gazed at her from a distance, and she could feel him as if he was right next to her. She grasped the bottom of her sleep shirt and quirked an eyebrow at him.

It was on.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Thank you to everyone who has shown me love on_** ** _this very different story. It was suggested to me months ago by my bestie_** ** _Magenta's Nightmare, and it went on the back burner while I worked on other things,_** ** _but it never left because it is so close to my heart. I always put a little bit of myself into my stories and_** ** _this one especially. Thank you so very much for letting me know what you think xxxKrissy_**

"Yup kids, crazy Aunt Meg is here," Meghan announced as she dropped her suitcase in the hallway that Friday night as advertised. Tara and Chelsey screamed when they saw her because Geana hadn't told them she was coming to visit. She never told them in advance.

"Mom didn't tell us you were coming!" They both exclaimed, as they ran to her and hugged her at the same time. Geana didn't say anything to the girls in case something came up, which often did with Meghan, but it seemed she was turning over a new leaf. She was still eccentric and wild, but more reliable than she had ever been before and that was a beautiful thing.

"Well, I'm here," Meghan said, giving them each a kiss.

"Let me just go text Chase and Greta and tell them we can't make it tonight," Kelsey said.

"No, no don't cancel your plans," Meghan started to say, but the girls shushed her.

"We haven't seen you in months' Aunt Meg, we're staying put," Tara said, "We see Chase every day he lives right next door."

"Chase and Greta are going to the batting cages with his Dad, no big deal," Kelsey said as she texted on her phone, "Greta said to call her later, Tar."

"Oh," Meg whispered to Geana, "That explains those arms."

"Zip it you!" Geana said.

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Daryl, Chase, and Greta spent two hours at the batting cages and then stopped for food. They dropped Greta off around seven, hung out with Merle and Andrea for a few minutes and went home. The sun was just going down, and Daryl's eyes were drawn over to the house next door.

He seemed to look over there every time he came home now, hoping for a glimpse of her. Sometimes she was out on the porch and would wave to him, but tonight she was inside, and it sounded like a party was going on.

There was an '85 Porsche 911 Targa parked in Geana's driveway, Daryl knew cars, and that was a beauty, Chase said that he thought that was Meghan's car. As they pulled into their driveway they could hear music and laughter coming from the house next door, it was "Ring of Fire" by Social Distortion, and Chase remarked that he liked that version better than the Johnny Cash version. Daryl just shook his head, the kid had no taste obviously, but then he heard singing.

This version was better than Johnny Cash tonight.

"Uh, Dad?" Chase said as Daryl leaned against his truck and listened to Geana singing for a few minutes, "You coming inside or what?"

"Yup," Daryl said, pushing himself off from the vehicle, taking one last glance over at her house, which did not go unnoticed by his son.

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"Friends in Low Places" floated through the air later as Daryl watched Geana's house from his deck, later that night, while having a cigarette. He found, not a big surprise that he missed her presence that evening, but it sounded like she was having fun. He could hear their laughter, and at one point she was singing along with the songs again, which made him smile.

They were even singing along to Cher, "Just Like Jesse James" he liked that song a lot and listening to her belt the words out with no fear did things to his heart.

Chase and Greta had told him that Tara and Kelsey canceled their plans that night because their Aunt who was also their Godmother had come to visit and from what he could tell, this woman and Geana were best friends. Laughter and joy was coming from their house, and it made him want to be a part of it, to be a part of her life.

 _He hoped he'd have the courage to pursue her_ _when the time was right. Sometimes he was so brave and sometimes he totally choked._

Daryl sat and listened to her music and her singing most of the night wishing for it to be more between them. He stayed on the deck smoking, talking himself up and attempting to build his confidence until it was very late.

While he listened to her voice and the voice of Meghan as they sang, he presumed that they were pretending to be rock stars and it made him smile; he'd been smiling a lot since he moved in.

It started with a whisper

And that was when I kissed her

And then she made my lips hurt

I could hear the chit chat

Take me to your love shack

Mamas always gotta back track

When everybody talks back.

Daryl grinned, thinking of Geana; she liked a lot of different music he thought to himself, from Nirvana to Social Distortion to Neon Trees to Garth Brooks and Cher. The layers of her were vast and many, and he longed to get to all of them.

After a while, he put out his cigarette and went inside to watch TV with Chase, taking one last look over at her house before he shut the sliding door.

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It was just Geana, the girls and Meghan that night, Tara and Kelsey had canceled their plans for the evening to watch movies with them. Their friends understood completely, and the four of them had a fantastic night of movies and laughter.

Meghan entertained the girls with stories of their mother as a young girl, and some of the shenanigans they had both been a part of. Meghan had an expressive way about her when she told a story, and the girls were always entertained when she was around.

She was a breath of fresh air, always ready to make a fool out of herself to make someone else laugh, it was her greatest asset and her biggest flaw.

Meghan was talking about herself and Geana as teenagers, sneaking out of their respective houses to go to concerts or just to hang out. Both of their mothers had been strict, and they found new ways of maneuvering around that as they needed to.

 _You tell Maria that you're sleeping at my house and I'll tell Jane I'm sleeping at your house._

There was never a need for Tara and Kelsey to go to such lengths, and Meghan often told Geana she was the best mother she had ever known. Her kids could come to her with questions and not be immediately shut down and told to go away.

Meghan knew how hard her friend worked as a parent, and a single one at that.

Geana had changed the pattern, with no role model to look up to, and Meghan praised her often for that.

Meghan continued her tales their life together as best friends and young girls much to Tara and Kelsey's delight.

Meghan and Geana had seen almost every band imaginable live and even met a couple of them backstage and in concert hall parking lots.

Geana had even kissed Eddie Vedder once, a fact that she had never told Tara and Kelsey and they were now screeching like the teenagers they were.

Life was good.


	8. Chapter 8

You're struttin' into town like you're slingin' a gun

Just a small town dude with a big city attitude

Honey are ya lookin' for some trouble tonight

Well all right

You think you're so bad, drive the women folk wild

Shoot 'em all down with the flash of your pearly smile

Honey but you met your match tonight

Oh, that's right

You think you'll knock me off my feet 'til I'm flat on the floor

'Til my heart is cryin' Indian, and I'm beggin for more

So come on baby

Come on baby show me what that loaded gun is

If you can give it, I can take it

'Cause if this heart is gonna break it's gonna take a lot to break it I know tonight

Somebody's gonna win the fight

So if you're so tough

Come on and prove it

Your heart is down for the count, and you know you're gonna lose it

Tonight you're gonna go down in flames

Just like Jesse James

Just Like Jesse James by Cher

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Meghan and Geana sat up in the living room long after the girls had gone to bed and Meghan was not letting up on her about Daryl. She was like a dog with a bone, and Geana knew it was because her friend loved her so much and wanted her to be happy.

Meghan was stuck on the romantic aspect, that both of them had been so unlucky in love and fate had moved him in next door to Geana.

The two friends sat opposite each other on the couch, sipped their virgin margaritas, and Meghan reminded Geana of things she had forgotten about long ago.

"Don't you miss a man's arms around you?" Meghan asked, "The way good cologne smells," Meghan took a deep breath for effect, "Yum."

"Sometimes," Geana replied, "But the last arms that held me were angry and full of lies."

"Doesn't mean they're all like that," Meghan persisted, "And a man's arms can feel so good, so strong and protective."

"I don't remember what that feels like," Geana said solemnly.

"All the more reason to take this guy out for a spin," She said wiggling her eyebrows, "Come on, where's that girl I know, I know she's in there somewhere."

"Meghan, you are too much," Geana laughed.

"And you're so full of shit your eyes are turning brown; I know you don't forget anything." She waved her finger at Geana.

"So I've thought about it," Geana said as a deep blush rose to her cheeks.

"Oh look at you, blushing so cute like that," Meghan said, "When it happens I expect every fucking detail, that guy walks like he has dick confidence."

"Yeah, he does," Geana couldn't disagree with that.

"I love that in a man," Meghan mused, "A guy who's packing heat and knows it, there's nothing sexier."

"He seems so shy," Geana said sipping her drink, " But then not, I don't know, he's a mystery to me."

"It's the shy ones you gotta worry about; I bet he eats pussy like it's his day job." Meghan cackled, "Fuck me running G."

"Yeah, cause you can tell right?" Geana teased.

"I can," Meghan laughed, "And I'm fucking telling you, don't be afraid, not all men are like your ex was, there's good ones too."

Geana thought about what Meghan was saying for a beat.

"I was scared, for a long time Meg, but I'm feeling hopeful again, a little, which is new."

"Good," Meghan said, "Cause love, real love is so worth it. I'll never stop believing in love."

Geana had to admire that about Meghan; she'd fall down ten times and get up twenty. Maybe it was time to shift her focus just a little more and take a chance.

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Later, while Megan was in the shower, Geana scooted off the bed and out onto the balcony. It was late, but she hoped she would see him just for a minute. Meghan's pep talk had made her want to lay eyes on him, the sooner, the better.

Geana leaned over the railing of the balcony and purposefully looked for him, and there he was, across the yard where he always was. Daryl had been laying on the bed watching TV, but he must have sensed her presence because he stood up and walked to the window.

Their eyes met, and she blew him a quick kiss, hoping he would understand, Daryl pretended to catch it and placed his hand over his heart. He nodded his head once to her, to let her know he did understand, and then she was gone as he heard her friend calling to her from inside the house.

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Would you believe me, when I tell you?

You are the queen of my heart.

Can you feel my love buzz?

Can you feel my love buzz?

Love Buzz by Nirvana

The next day Geana had to work a double shift for the photographer she was employed by on the weekends. She spent the day snapping pictures of a beautiful wedding at a local vineyard from ten am to ten pm.

Because she and Meghan had stayed up late the night before, Geana was wrecked when she got home. As she pulled her camera equipment out to bring inside she wearily glanced over at her neighbor's house; the lights were on.

There was music playing, Nirvana, of course; Chase was outside on the front porch on his cellphone, probably talking with Kelsey Geana supposed.

Then she saw the door open, and soon Daryl was out on the porch and walking across his yard to hers, "You need some help with all that?"

Now, his voice did something to her; it was all about the memory of him from last night.

Geana turned to him; she had a trunkful of equipment that couldn't be left outside, and she had also taken her shirt off in front of her window for him. It was a dizzying paradox, "Yeah, thanks, Daryl," Geana said meeting his eyes, and she liked what she saw there, up close, as much as she liked what she saw there from a distance.

They both grabbed some bags, and he followed her into the house.

Daryl went with her downstairs to her studio/darkroom and looked around in awe as he followed her around the room.

"You're a photographer?" He said, and his hand brushed past hers as he set her camera bag on the desk. Geana felt goosebumps at the touch of his hand, and she shivered, he noticed that too. They stood there for a beat, both staring at their hands and assessing the electric current that just passed between them.

Daryl looked like he might say something as if he had something on his mind, but he didn't say anything, and so she did what she always did, kept talking.

"Yes, on the weekend's weddings mostly right now, but I'm studying photojournalism at CCG," She replied as they walked back upstairs to bring the rest of her stuff inside. Tara and Kelsey were lurking upstairs, usually, if they were awake, they'd help her carry her things in, but tonight they stayed out of sight.

They made another trip out to her car, got the last of her stuff and brought it inside. It was not lost on him that this was the first time he had been inside her house. It was lovely and eclectic, a real tribute to her personality. Daryl liked her, its wasn't just physical, as he peeled the layers of her back day by day, he liked what he saw.

"That's great," He replied, wishing he could just get the courage when she was right next to him, the way he did when she was across the yard from him.

"And during the week I work at a library," She told him and then worried that she was talking too much. Geana always talked too much when she was nervous, it had been like that since she was a kid and her ex-husband didn't help her self-esteem issue at all either.

But this man looked at her like he wanted to devour her, every night from his window across the yard. Daryl was still trying to wrap his head around what she was saying, even as he wished he could take another step towards her.

 _She had_ _two jobs? And was_ _a mother to her kids and a few neighborhood kids that needed her?_

"What do you do Daryl," She smiled, pulling him from his thoughts, "Seems fitting I should know what you do for a living at least," She said with a grin that made his heart beat faster in his chest.

"I own a garage with my brother, Greta's dad."

"Some time could I take your picture," She said sitting her camera down on a desk, "Maybe at work, if it's not too much trouble, I'm making a portfolio."

"Sure," He replied, still wishing he could say something, touching her hand had lit him up, there was no getting around that.

"Well," Geana said finally after they had stared at each other a few seconds and the question was right there between them, "Thank you for the help."

"Anytime, anytime at all," Daryl said trying to hold himself together because he wanted to jump her right there.

Soon the spell was broken, and they walked to the stairs, Geana went first, and Daryl followed her up to the first floor, and he never took his eyes from her ass the entire time. It was in her mind to ask him if he wanted a drink, but she was tired and a little nervous still, so she let the moment pass.

Daryl walked back to his house whistling, and Chase looked at him like he was crazy as he passed him on the porch.

Chase didn't miss a trick, and he was well aware that something was going on, progress, he supposed. It was about fucking time in his opinion.


	9. Chapter 9

Tara and Chris invaded her room the next day and plopped on her bed with coffee for her. It was Sunday morning, and usually, she let herself sleep a little later. Kelsey was for sure still asleep, but Chris had come over early to talk something out with Tara, and she had suggested they talk to her Mom.

Geana didn't mind them waking her up, especially if they had something to tell her, her own mother had given fuck all about her life and Geana did not do that with her kids. Often, when making a decision about the girls, she would say to herself "What would Maria do?" and then do the opposite.

It was sad but true.

"Oh, you kids know the way to my heart don't you?" Geana said taking a sip of the coffee, made just the way she liked it.

"It's that chicory coffee you like," Tara said as she turned to Chris, "Did you know she and Aunt Meghan have been to New Orleans three times?"

"I wanna go there so bad," Chris said, "Something tells me it's my kind of town."

"It is," Tara said, "And this coffee is so good she buys it online, one day we can go, right Mom?"

"Sure," Geana said, "Maybe for graduation?"

"Did you get beads when you were there?" Chris asked with a sly grin.

Geana looked over at him, "Maybe."

"Oh that's a yes," Tara said, "Damn I know Aunt Meghan did," She laughed.

"So maybe we can go," Geana said trying to change the subject, she didn't need her teenage daughter thinking about if she had flashed her tits at strangers for beads, which she had done, but that was a long time ago and one of the reasons she didn't drink anymore.

Flashing someone she knew was different though she thought to herself with a wry smile, "We can all go."

Tara nodded as she and Chris broke out in grins at the idea of a road trip for graduation, "Chris needs to run something by you and so do I."

"Alright," Geana said sitting up against the headboard of her bed with one kid on either side.

"I met someone," Chris said, and Geana grinned and gave him a hug.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you Chris, I told you not to worry, there's someone out there for everyone," Geana said, "Even in this town," She added with a laugh.

"But Mom," Chris said, with his eyes wide with surprise, "It's a girl, her name is Sabrina, all this time I thought I was gay."

"Trust me, dude, you are not straight," Tara laughed.

"So you're Bi," Geana said, "Or Pan, it doesn't matter Chris, you like who you like."

"That's what I told him," Tara said and hugged Geana, "He still has a crush on that guy Rick in school, God I am so proud that my mother knows what Pan means."

"Oh yeah," Chris sighed and placed his hand on his heart, "He's the ultimate, I'd climb him like a tree, I am definitely still into boys too," He said with a laugh, and Tara and Geana laughed along with him.

"It's whatever makes you happy, as long as you're safe," Geana said and then looked over at Tara, "You too, all of you kids, be safe, and be true to your heart, if something doesn't feel right, don't do it. Don't give yourself away to just anyone, but don't let the right one get away."

 _And take your own_ _advice, Geana thought to herself. Stop being such a chicken shit._

"Don't worry, we know."

"And if you ever find yourself in a mess, I'll help you no matter what it is. If you are in trouble, if something is wrong, you come to me. You know that right?" Geana said, taking that opportunity to reinforce with them that they could trust her and come to her no matter what, "I don't care what it is, you come to me, alright?"

"We know," Tara said.

"Ok, now your news?" Geana asked, giving Tara a kiss on the cheek.

"Greta called me last night after we talked on Twitter for a little while," Tara said, "Can she drive Kelsey and me to school with Chase? I really like her."

"Does she like you?" Geana asked, and Tara nodded.

"Of course she does, I'm a great catch," Tara said with a giggle.

"That's my girl," Geana said putting her arm around each kid.

"We're waiting for John and then going to the mall but you know what a diva he is, we'll be waiting for hours. "Chris said.

"He's on Diva time," Tara said with a laugh.

It was true John could never be on time, and they were just used to it, everyone had their faults, and Tara knew just to tell John to be somewhere an hour before they needed him there.

"I'm still your third kid right Mom?" Chris asked out of the blue, and Geana nodded.

"You bet Chris, always."

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There's nothing to live for when I'm sleepin' alone, and I wash

The windows outside in hopes that the glare will bring you around.

You Wouldn't Like Me by Tegan and Sara

It was warm out, and Geana opened the sliding door to her balcony and looked for him because he was a habit now. Now she looked for him every night. She was listening to Tegan and Sara that night, something much more mellow than her usual genre.

She needed to calm down after the day she'd had. Keith had called her yelling about the income tax because he wanted to claim both the kids, even though they lived with Geana. But Geana had already filed, so then he threatened to sue her.

When would this man just get out of her life? She didn't need the stress that he always brought, that's why she had left him.

Her ex always had this negative effect on her, and now Geana was wired and couldn't sleep. Daryl's lights were on, and he was still awake, maybe he had waited up for her.

Geana had a bad day, but it was about to get better, and she didn't know if that was truly a good thing.

Both she and Daryl were so awkward and shy when they were closer than the length of her backyard, she wondered if they would ever have more than this, but she looked for him still.

If this was the only way they could communicate, so be it, she was in, for better or worse.

She could see Daryl leaning against his dresser smoking a cigarette as if he was waiting for her. He was, she knew that by now.

It was the eleventh or twelfth time in a row that they had done this even after they had been introduced properly.

Geana had thought once they met it wouldn't happen again, and maybe they could forget about it. But it did happen again, and again, and now Daryl was there taking his shirt off in front of the window and so, she did the same.

Daryl had now seen all of her best underwear and lingerie, which she happened to wear now instead of saving it for a special occasion. Maybe this was a special occasion.

Tara and Kelsey were after her to get to know him better, they were full on with Meghan about him and she was sure Chase was torturing Daryl in the same way.

Did this count as getting to know each other? Looking at each other through their windows at night, pushing the boundaries of what was neighborly and right. Then during the day waving to say hello and talk about the weather or how the kids were doing in school?

As if nothing was going on at all?

It was like having a dirty secret, and every once in a while, as they spent time together, she would look over at him, and he'd have this silly grin on his face. If no one was looking, she'd wink at him and watch his face turn beat red.

Progress again, for both of their weary hearts. Maybe crushes weren't just for teenagers, and maybe this was just a way to take it slow.

Geana did love to see that blush in his cheeks though; it was sweet.

They were becoming friends, friends with a particular benefit.

A few days ago Daryl let her take his picture, and it hung downstairs on the drying line, his blue eyes forever captured in print. He had volunteered if she wanted to take any other kind of pictures of him under his breath, but she had heard him and had said he would be the first one she'd call.

Then he blushed again.

Daryl talked a good game, but he was shy by nature even though he wanted her desperately by this time.

Although his house was a good deal away from hers, separated by her back yard, she could feel the sexual tension he was putting out when he looked at her.

Daryl felt it too as he watched her, it permeated the distance between them like a cloud of smoke. Her eyes were such that he couldn't look away, even if he wanted to. He wondered what she thought about when they did that.

Did she want him as much as he wanted her?

Earlier he had paced in front of the window wondering where she was as if they had a standing date or something. It was night twelve since he moved in and for eleven nights this had been going on.

It was fast becoming the highlight of his day. He leaned against the dresser, lit up a cigarette and waited for her.

Soon he saw the light in her bedroom go on and there she was, fresh from a shower, fuck his life.

Daryl took a long drag on the cigarette and blew smoke rings in her direction. Geana smiled at him, and he liked to think that smile was just for him. He placed his hand, palm out on the window and looked over at her.

Across the yard, Geana put her palm to her window and did the same.

Don't you worry there's still time.

You Wouldn't Like Me by Tegan and Sara


	10. Chapter 10

_**Thank you to anyone who is reading and please let me know what you think, reviews are always welcome xxxxx Krissy**_

"I don't give a fuck; I know she likes girls, as long as she's happy that's all Andrea, and I care about." Merle said to Daryl as they sat on the porch of his and Andrea's house, "She's my only child, and her happiness is all I care about."

Merle and Daryl were having a beer after work on a warm night and once again discussing their lives and kids. They were close and always had been; it had been Merle who picked up the pieces of his brother's life once it exploded. Merle was always the constant in Daryl's life, whenever something was up with him, he went to his older brother.

It had been that way forever and all their lives.

"You ever think things would have been different if he wasn't who he was?" Daryl asked.

Merle nodded, "All the time, but we turned out ok."

"Maybe you did."

"You did too, that's Sandy's words, and you stop that right now, Chase says you have a new lady friend," Merle said with a smile on his face.

"Chase is jumping the gun," Daryl replied and lit a cigarette.

"Either way, you ain't so bad, and neither am I, we survived and we ain't passing it down to our kids," Merle said, "Put yourself out there brother you ain't got nothing to lose."

"Chase said I ain't getting any younger," Daryl laughed.

"The boy is right, you're thirty-eight, how old you suppose this honey you got your eye on is."

"My age, she has two kids and a bunch of other kids that hang out at her house, I see them going in and out all the time."

"Like we would have liked when we were young?" Merle said, and his voice was soft at that moment, "Like we do for our kids."

Daryl nodded, "She would have let our friends come over if he wasn't there."

Merle took a drag of his cigarette, "Yes, she would have."

Nights like this were what gave Daryl back his equilibrium, Merle had been worried about him for a time, but he felt like the worrying was over now.

"Tell me more about your new neighbor?" Merle asked, "She cute?"

Daryl paused and then thought better about what he was going to say, "Yeah, she is."

"What are you waiting for, your kid is right you aren't getting any younger." Merle said flicking his cigarette into the driveway, "Chase and Greta will be here soon, might as well stay for dinner."

"Thanks, man," Daryl said as he followed him into the house.

Andrea was at the stove stirring a huge pot of the best smelling chili he'd ever seen, and he made a mental note to ask her how to make it.

"Hey darlin, Daryl's got a girlfriend finally," Merle bellowed as he walked over to kiss his wife.

"Not exactly, Ange," Daryl said, and Andrea smiled at him, and offered him the spoon to taste the concoction she had made, "Awesome as usual," Daryl said and kissed his sister in law's cheek.

"Glad you like it, I'll give you and Chase some to take home, "Now what's this about a girlfriend."

Daryl leaned against the sink and shot Merle a look, then he ran his hand through his hair, "It ain't like that."

"But you want it to be," Andrea said, "I can tell, it's good to have you back."

They were interrupted by a thunderous Chase and Greta as they came through the door after dropping off Tara and Kelsey at home.

"Smells, delish mom," Greta said as they came through the doorway and dropped their books on the living room couch on their way.

"Come on and let's set the table," Andrea said as she led the kids into the dining room so Merle and Daryl could talk some more.

"You got a bounce in your step now, you sure you ain't laying the blocks to your neighbor?" Merle asked.

"Right Merle cause that's what I'd do," Daryl replied.

"Well if you ask me you could use it, you're a little cranky," Merle said with a grin.

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"Tell me about your new neighborhood," Merle said to Chase as they all sat around the table later that night. The plates had been cleared and the family sat there talking to each other as they usually did, a luxury neither Dixon man had before. Family dinners did not happen when they were kids, but at Merle's house and Daryl's they happened at least five nights out of seven and the two families ate together often.

It was called breaking the cycle, and both men worked hard at it.

"Well," Chase said, after taking another spoonful of chili, "We live next door to a bunch of beautiful women."

"You don't say," Merle said, "Like a sorority?"

"Kinda," Chase said, and grinned at Daryl.

Daryl just shook his head as Chase rattled on about Geana and her kids, every once in a while Greta would say something about Tara and Merle and Andrea listened intently. They loved their only child and were pleased that she was making new friends and found someone she liked.

Like Geana, they had known long before Greta told them, and it didn't matter to them a damn, as long as she was happy and no one was bothering her. Greta went on to say that they were all going out as a group that Friday night and it was her first date with Tara.

Chase fist bumped her from across the table and went on to tell everyone about he and Kelsey deciding that they were too young to be serious even though they liked each other a lot.

"Who are you and where's my kid?" Daryl said with a laugh.

"She wants to go to med school one day," Chase said, "She needs to get good grades and not be distracted."

"That's us Dixon's," Merle laughed, "Distractin, right baby?" He said giving Andrea a kiss.

"So distracting," Andrea said with a smile, "What does Tara want to do after High School Greta?"

"She wants to be a cop," Greta said with a smile.

"Like you?" Andrea said, "Hmmm, imagine that."

"Chase, you gonna turn wrenches with us or what?"

"Think so," Chase replied, "Seems like the thing I do best."

"But do you love it?" Andrea asked, "Cause you have to love what you do."

"Yeah, I really do," Chase answered, "It's in my blood I guess," He said with a shrug.

"You can go to college if ya want to Chase," Daryl said, "Whatever you want to do, you can do it."

"Thanks Dad," Chase replied, "I'll let ya know."

"That's all we ever want for you kids, is to be happy at what you're doing," Andrea said, "And to be happy."

"You'd like her Ang," Daryl said, and Merle and Chase's heads turned on a dime.

"Who?"

"Geana," Daryl answered, "She's a lot like you."

"I'm sure I would if she made this kind of impression on you," Andrea said with a wink, and then the conversation changed to Andrea's upcoming bar exam, which she had been preparing for since Greta was a baby and she went back to school. It took her 17 years but Andrea never gave up, and now one exam stood between her and her dream.

Never give up on your dreams was her mantra.

 _ **Thank you for reading please let me know what you think.**_


	11. Chapter 11

The next day before Geana and the girls got home from work and school, Daryl happened to be home picking up some parts at his house for a brake job he was doing at the shop.

Later, when he replayed every detail in his head he remembered, he heard the car coming before he saw it and he knew it was a 67 Camaro, not his favorite at all, it was a douche car in his book.

He was surprised when the car didn't pass by, but instead stopped at Geana's house and an angry looking man got out, slamming the car door so hard the windows rattled. As Daryl stood in his driveway, he watched the man storm up the sidewalk and begin to pound on Geana's door.

"Open the door you fucking bitch!" The man yelled, and that set Daryl's teeth on edge, "Geana you fucking piece of shit."

The man must have sensed Daryl's seething rage rising in the wind because he turned and looked right at him.

"Geana aint home asshole," Daryl yelled across the yard as the man started towards him, "What's your fucking problem."

The man in the three-piece suit eyed Daryl like he was dirt under his feet as he approached him, but too late he realized that was a bad idea. Daryl stepped towards him and stood eye to eye with him.

"Why you yelling shit for her kids to hear?" Daryl said with a growl that let the other man know he'd made a huge mistake.

"They're my kids; they know what she is," The man said, "What are you fucking her or something?"

"You better watch your mouth," Daryl said stepping closer and getting even more in his face.

By that time Geana's jeep was heading down the road with Tara in the front seat and Kelsey in the back. It didn't register with Geana what was going on until the girls started talking. It was too surreal to imagine, her ex-husband had come over to bitch her out about the taxes and it looked like Daryl was about to kill him.

"Fuck it's Keith," Kelsey said from the back window.

"Looks like Daryl's gonna clean his clock," Tara said with glee, clapping her hands.

Geana pulled into the driveway and Keith turned to walk over there, his rage fired up again at her but Daryl shook his head, "I wouldn't do that if I was you, go get in your car and leave."

"Fuck off buddy; those are my kids and that bitch…" He never got to finish his sentence, because Daryl's fist was in his face. He didn't even wallop him enough to knock him out, but it was sufficient, his point was made.

"I said watch your mouth," Daryl said as he shook his hand out and looked over at Geana and Tara.

Kelsey looked at him like he was her hero, Tara was laughing and Geana was in shock.

"Now get the fuck out of here before I call the cops, in case you didn't notice, you're trespassing. Get out of here."

Daryl walked over towards Geana and the girls as their father got into his car and started it up. It roared to life, and at an effort of showing his rage at the situation he gunned it and grinded first gear, which made Daryl laugh and shake his head. _What a douche._

"I'm sorry, he was talking all kinds of trash, and I can't…" Daryl started to say to them.

"Don't apologize, Daryl," Tara said, "He had it coming."

"For a long time," Kelsey said in agreement.

"Go inside," Geana said to both girls, "I want to talk to Daryl alone."

They didn't move and Geana gave them the 'Mom' look.

"Fine," Tara and Kelsey both huffed, "But he did have it coming."

"Inside," Geana pointed to the door, and they both got the hint and went inside. Then she turned to Daryl, "I'm sorry that happened, I mean you don't even know me that well…"

Then she stopped and looked up at him a smile creeping over her lips.

"I guess that isn't exactly true, but I'm sorry he…"

"No, I'm sorry, I lost my head, and for the record, I know you well enough to get angry at the things he was saying about you, and it's not well enough for me if you want the truth." He said with a long sigh, he'd said what was on his mind and he was glad it was out now.

"You were defending my honor," Geana murmured, and before he knew it, she was kissing his cheek, "Thank you, Daryl."

The feel of her lips on his skin only made him want more, it stirred him all up and made him think of things he hadn't thought about in a long time.

"Still, I stopped fighting years ago, but he was pushing it." Daryl said after he'd come back to reality.

"I'm sorry you got pulled into my drama, I really am," She sat down on the porch steps with him, and put her elbows on her knees.

"We all got it, don't think anything of it," Daryl replied.

"You need some ice for your hand," Geana asked when she saw he was moving it and stretching his fingers.

"I gotta get back to work; you'll be ok, you and the girls?"

"Yeah, he won't be back," Geana said, "He's a big baby."

"I noticed," Daryl said with a chuckle.

Geana smiled at him; he was a good man, not anything like the man that just left.

"Alright," Daryl said standing up and held his hand out for her to pull her to stand, "He comes back you call me, you got my number right?"

"Yes, I do," Geana nodded, "Thanks again Daryl."

"Call me if he comes around again," Daryl said as he walked back toward his house, "Or just, you know, call me," He said looking over his shoulder at her.

Geana waved, "Sure."

She turned to walk inside and saw the faces of her daughters plastered in the window of the door. They had been spying, and Daryl had just lobbed the ball over into her court. Game. Set. Match.

Geana blew the hair out of her face and opened the door to face the music.

"Mmmmmooooooommmmmm," Tara said before she was even in the door, "Oh my God, that was so badass."

Geana couldn't suppress the grin that came across her face; it was badass. No one had ever stood up for her that way except Meghan, and it felt good.

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"Where ya been," Merle bellowed when Daryl came into the garage and dug into a cooler looking for ice for his hand. A fifteen-minute run home had taken an hour, and Merle could tell from Daryl's mood that something had gone down.

"Had a little altercation," Daryl replied, putting some ice on his hand.

"Ya did?" Merle said approaching him and looking at his hand, "What's the other guy look like."

"Like a prick," Daryl said as he accepted a cigarette Merle had lit for him.

"What happened?" Merle asked.

"Geana's ex was banging on her door and talking shit," Daryl said, and Merle gave him a huge grin as he lit his own cigarette.

"So you put him in his place I presume?"

"Yeah," Daryl replied.

"With your wrenching hand, brother?"

Daryl nodded, "I know, but it didn't take much to lay the guy out, it'll be okay by tomorrow."

"No doubt," Merle replied.

"I lost my head, I ain't proud of that," Daryl said, "Her kids were there and everything."

"Knowing you, I know the guy deserved it."

"I'm not like him, right Merle?" Daryl said, and Merle slung his arm over his shoulder. Daryl still feared turning into their father after all this time.

"You ain't anything like the old man; you was defending your woman."

Daryl huffed but he didn't deny it, there was something with her and it was growing daily.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Three phone calls. Thank you for reading.**_

"Geana if I were you I'd be all over that man like a cheap suit," Meghan said later that night to her on the phone, "He wants you to call him, just call him. He's shy, and I think that's cute."

"He's not that shy," Geana laughed, he's not shy from a distance anyway she thought to herself.

"Geana! Call him right now!", Meghan cried, "I can't think of anything hotter than a guy getting all beasty on someone for you, it makes my lady parts come alive!"

"Meghan!" Geana laughed.

"Girrrrrrllll, that man is a keeper, anyone that would defend you that way, it's more than neighborly, don't you get that?"

"Oh, I get it, he's…" Geana replied, "It's definitely…" She stopped and started again, "I have to tell you something about him and me."

"Spill your guts now! What happened?," Meghan screeched into the phone and Geana told her because she could never keep a thing from her best friend.

"Holy fucking shit," Meghan said over and over again, "Go get him now, right now!"

"And what would I tell Tara and Kelsey who are waiting for dinner as we speak?"

"That you're thanking him," Meghan laughed.

"I can't," Geana whispered.

"So what is it then? You're playing hard to get?"

"I can't get hurt again." Was all that Geana would say and Meghan did understand her friends fear.

Keith had treated her terribly all through their marriage, Geana was still shell-shocked from it. It was no wonder she had trust issues, Keith used to yell and scream at her, throw dishes, cups, whatever was nearby and tell her she should be thankful he never hit her.

The threat was there though; he _wanted to hit her._

"From what you tell me, this Daryl is a stand-up guy." Meghan said, "And if he is, he'll wait until you're ready for more," Meghan said into the phone, "But there's no harm in calling him right?"

"You are the devil on my shoulder you know that?"

"Uh huh," Meghan laughed, "And I won't rest until you do my bidding." She cackled like a witch into the phone as Geana went down the stairs to start dinner.

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"Chase you should have seen it, I think he broke Keith's nose, it was bad ass," Kelsey said into the phone later.

"Yeah my Dad doesn't go for any bullshit especially when it comes to women," Chase said, "He isn't violent, I don't want you all to think…"

"Please, he's my hero right now," Kelsey laughed, "He just popped him right in the face like it was nothing."

"I think he feels bad about it; he went to the batting cages alone tonight."

"Tell him don't, Keith is a douchebag and had it coming," Kelsey replied.

"It's just how he is, he's a broody fucker sometimes," Chase explained.

"Hm," Kelsey said, "Like my mom, when she stays in the darkroom all day. They're a match made in heaven if you ask me."

"Agreed," Chase said, " Although that's kind of weird."

"It is, but I dunno, they're both so nice and so lonely."

"So what do we do?"

"I'm not sure," Kelsey replied, "But I'll think of something."

"I have no doubt you will," Chase answered.

They were silent for a minute and then Kelsey spoke up.

"Chase, are you going to ask me to the Junior Prom?" Kelsey said.

"Looks like you asked me," Chase said with a snort, and then he got serious when she didn't answer him "You wanna go?"

"Do you want me to go?" She said, "It's not my prom, it's yours."

"Do you wanna go?" Chase said.

"Yes, if you do," Kelsey replied, "It's three weeks away though, is it too late to get tickets?"

"I bought tickets a week ago, was just trying to find a way to ask you."

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"Hey,"

"Hey,"

"How's your hand?"

"It's fine," Daryl replied.

"So he texted me and said he was sorry and won't be bothering me again," Geana said as she laid down on her bed, she turned and looked out her window, past the balcony, and she could see him lying on his own bed.

"You believe that?"

"For now I do," Geana replied, "I take it day by day when it comes to Mr. Chambler."

"I'm not a violent man Geana," Daryl said.

"Daryl, do you know how many times I've wanted to punch him, he brings out the worst in every person who knows him," She said with a laugh, "I would never judge you."

"Good, I'm glad." Daryl continued, "Your opinion of me matters."

"I think you know my opinion of you by now," Geana said with a smile. It was time to talk about a few things, maybe it would be easier on the phone, although they could see each other through their respective windows.

"He didn't even say anything to Tara and Kelsey," Daryl said looking through his window and over at her, she waved, and he waved back.

"You noticed that too huh?" Geana said, rolling over on her stomach so that she could look out the balcony doors at him, he was facing her now too.

"It's like he didn't even see them," Daryl said incredulously.

"He never does, that's nothing new, they hadn't seen him in three years before today."

"Like Chase's mom," He said with a sigh, "I don't get it."

"Me either, but unless you want to talk about them, can we talk about something else?"

"Anything you want," He replied, he certainly didn't want to talk about his ex-wife or her ex-husband.

"Should we talk about it?" Geana asked, and he knew what "it" was, the elephant in the room, the secret between them. Sooner or later they would have to talk about it; he guessed this was as good a time as any.

"If you want to," He stuttered, "You're just so pretty to look at, I ain't like that, I don't want you to think badly of me."

"I like it when you look at me; you know that I'm sure." She answered, "I learned a long time ago that there is nothing that's wrong if two people consent to it."

"Oh, I consented, don't you worry," He said with a laugh, and he could feel the nervous tension leaving him as they talked.

"Whew, glad we got that out," Geana laughed and then there was silence, so as usual Geana broke the silence, "You're pretty to look at too."

"Did you wanna go out sometime?" Daryl asked, "Ever been on a bike?"

"Yes, and no, but I've always wanted to." Geana purred into the phone.

"Alright," Daryl said, not believing this was himself talking, he hadn't asked a woman out in eighteen years, "Maybe over the weekend?"

"Sure,"

The conversation flowed easily with them as it always did. They talked about all manner of things, and when they finally hung up almost two hours later, Geana felt like he understood her struggle and she his. Being a single parent was not for the weak or faint of heart, their shared experiences brought them closer still, and the wild attraction between them was unmistakable.

 _ **I feel like no one is reading this, but I have most of it done, so I'll just keep going. I have exams coming up this summer so I'll just be updating my other WIPS that aren't done, and maybe some oneshots. As always I welcome prompts too xxx Krissy**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Ok, moving right along, I'm pulling the trigger on this in the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who let me know they were reading, it makes a difference. I appreciate the kind words so much xoxoxoxox Krissy**_

Daryl swung the bat and connected with the ball, the crack of the metal against the ball made Greta jump as she stood next to Chase. The auto pitch sent another ball, and he hit that one with just as much of a crack.

It was hot out and as usual for that time of year, which meant summer was going to be a bitch. It was only May, and already they were sweating.

Most days though, hot or cold out, they came here to blow off steam. Merle was even known to hit a few and Andrea did too on occasion. But tonight it was just Daryl and the kids. He had come alone the day before, after his fight with Keith, he hadn't even gone home to get Chase first.

"What's he trying to do, hit all fly balls?"

Chase shrugged, "He's reliving his glory days."

Daryl had played high school baseball and had been good enough to get a scholarship, his parents wouldn't let him go to college though, but he still pounded them at the batting cages and played on a team in the summertime. It was due to start up soon, and this year Chase was old enough to play too.

"Did you hear about what went down at Tara's the other day?" Greta asked Chase as she sent a text to Tara.

"Yeah, Kelsey called me."

"I heard my Dad telling my Mom that Daryl hasn't been in a fight since you were born," Greta continued, "My mom said it was romantic and my dad said she was a kook."

"All I know is, I never saw him even get angry, have you?"

"Tara said he was plenty angry that day cause of what that guy was saying about Geana," Greta said as she shook her head.

Both kids looked over as Daryl approached them, he pulled his sleeveless shirt up to wipe the sweat out of his face, and Greta handed him a bottle of water.

"You two gonna keep standing here like decorations or are ya gonna hit some?" Daryl said as he drank the water down in large gulps.

"I don't wanna break a nail," Greta replied with a grin, "I have a date Friday."

"Whatever, how about you?" He said to Chase.

"Sure," Chase said, "Let's go hit for hit."

"You're on," Daryl replied with a smile, "Looser buys the ice cream."

Daryl slung his arms around his son and led him over to the cage next to his, he knew soon Chase would have less and less time to hang out with his father so these times were precious to him. This summer they were playing on the baseball team together, and Daryl was thrilled that his kid still wanted to spend time with him.

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The best place for Ice Cream in town was called Jeffrey's, and everybody knew it. Daryl took the two kids there often and sometimes more than once a day. He had a bit of an ice cream addiction.

As they sat in the parking lot on the hood of Daryl's truck they saw Geana's red jeep coming into the parking lot. She pulled into the space next to them, and the girls piled out, excited to see their friends there too.

Geana and the girls had gone out to Taco Bell and to do some shopping, and when Kelsey saw Daryl's truck in the parking lot, she had begged to stop and say hi. Ice cream sounded good too.

When Daryl looked over at her as she got out of the car he did a double take. Geana had on a blue sundress, and Daryl couldn't keep his eyes off her legs or her shoulders that were uncovered since it was so hot out. Not that he hadn't seen her body before, but not this close-up. Not this uncovered and close. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun with tendrils of hair hanging down over her beautiful neck.

Daryl couldn't stop staring.

She handed the girls money and told them to get her peanut butter chocolate in a dish with double hot fudge. The four teens took off for the Ice Cream stand, and Geana walked over to Daryl.

"Hey," She said as her eyes moved over him, he had on a baseball cap backward and a t- shirt that looked soaked through, with no sleeves, as Meghan would say 'Yum.'

"Great minds think alike," She said clearing her throat and the thoughts from her head.

"You know it. You're all about the chocolate huh?" He said with a grin that showed his dimples, Geana found that now she had a weakness for dimples. _God,_ _he was adorable._

Geana nodded and leaned against the truck next to him.

"Beautiful night?" She said.

"Yeah, it is, nice enough to be topless," Daryl replied nodding towards her jeep that was roofless with another smile for her.

Geana smiled, "I can never wait to take the top off," She said meeting his eyes and winking.

Daryl smiled as she went right along with him as he stepped up the game between them, then held his ice cream cone out to her. He raised his eyes to her looking directly into her eyes from under the fringe of his bangs, with the offer of more than ice cream in his voice, "Want some?"

His voice was dark and promising, and she loved the slight rasp to it. The more she talked to him the more she was entranced with his voice. This was happening.

Geana hoisted herself up onto the truck next to him and looked over at him with a grin, "Love to."

Daryl held the cone out to her, and she licked it, it was banana flavored, and she made a sound of delight that made his body over heat. Still, he kept control, as Geana took another lick and raised her eyes up to his, "Thank you."

"You got some," He reached over to the side of her lip with his thumb, "Right here," then brushed it away and sucked it off his finger. He was trying to hypnotize her, Geana was sure of it, and she was going to let him.

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Chase and the girls were standing in line for their order watching their parents talking to each other and laughing, sharing the ice cream. Chase elbowed Greta as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.

"Go, Uncle Daryl," Greta whispered to Tara, and Tara turned around and watched Daryl and Geana together.

"He's a good guy right?" Tara said, and Greta nodded.

"The best there is."

"So is she."

"I know," Greta nodded and slipped her hand in Tara's.

"How do you know?"

"Because of you, she made you," Greta said and brought Tara's hand to her lips, "Can't wait till Friday."

Tara blushed, "Me either."

Chase and Kelsey got their ice cream and walked over to a picnic table to sit after Tara paid for it all and brought Geana hers.

"We'll just be over there," Tara pointed to Greta sitting on a swing built for two and then she was off on her way back to Greta.

"These are some great kids," Daryl said to Geana.

Geana spooned her ice cream into her mouth and nodded, "Hard work though."

"True, no rest for the weary," Daryl replied as Geana handed him a spoonful of her ice cream. He took the spoon from her and tasted the ice cream, licking his lower lip in the process where some of the hot fudge landed.

 _She could hear Meghan's voice saying kiss him, kiss him, kiss him, and she wanted to. But not here, not now._

When he handed the spoon back to her, his fingers brushed against hers the way they had that day in the basement and the feeling was the same. He let his fingers linger on hers for a beat, sliding them along her knuckles. She held her breath and then Geana took the spoon and dug in for more as she spoke.

"Daryl, you're flirting with me." She grinned.

"Yup," He answered, taking the spoon and eating more of her ice cream, "Is it working?"

"Maybe," She flirted back, "But what will you do if I decide to take you up on this."

"Pfffftt," He answered, "Bring it."

"Hmmm," Geana said as she sat next to him eating her ice cream and shoulder-tapped him.

"Hmm," Daryl said returning the shoulder tap.

"Where are we going this weekend?" Geana said, breaking the silence between them.

"Dinner, Saturday?" He said, "I know this place a few towns over, it's nothing fancy, but the food is great."

"Alright, what should I wear?" Geana said, spooning more ice cream into her mouth.

"Whatever you want, if ya wanna go on the bike wear a jacket."

"I do," Geana said.

"Good," He replied turning to look at her.

"More." She held the spoon up to him, even though he knew she wasn't talking about the ice cream. She knew that he knew too.

He nodded, "More."


	14. Chapter 14

**_I think notifications are working again, will someone let me know that they are? I updated yesterday too, so read that chapter first. This is maybe the longest sex scene I have ever written, I hope you'll all let me know what you think xx_**

We get it almost every night

When that ol' moon gets-a big and bright

It's a supernatural delight

Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight

Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest

It had been fifteen days, fifteen days since he moved in next door. Fifteen days of watching, of talking, of longing. She was alone that night, and she knew he was too.

Geana watched him in the window, like always. Her eyes traveling over his body that she knew was amazing; she'd been close enough to him to see that. She let her eyes travel over what she wanted now, without abandon.

Daryl watched her too, and it was becoming more to him. It started as a game but the kiss on his cheek a few days before had lit a fire inside of him that he couldn't put out. The fire just smoldered and grew as they spent more time together.

That night he was focused on her lips, which he couldn't see closely from the window, but he knew every curve of them just the same.

He wanted to know what they might taste like, what they might feel like on other parts of his body besides his cheek.

Talking to her on the phone had made him feel young again, it was a good feeling, one that he welcomed. They'd talked for almost two hours a few days before, and he had finally gotten the nerve to ask her for a date.

Daryl had put himself out there with her at the ice cream stand too, which was unlike him and now it was not a matter of if but when.

All of the kids were gone for the evening, at Rocky Horror with Greta, and it was eight pm. The kids were all going out to eat before the movie; both parents had declined the offer to tag along.

It was something that these teenagers invited their parents to go out with them; they were both doing something right in that department. But they both knew better than to infringe on the teen's good time. You had to give them roots but also wings to fly.

Tonight was the first date for Tara and Greta, and Geana had helped Tara pick out the best outfit to wear, helped with her makeup and hair, then kissed her goodbye and told her to have a blast. Daryl lectured Chase a little bit about being a gentleman and watching out for the girls at the show. They were meeting Chris and John there too, but Daryl reminded Chase that he had an obligation to his cousin and their friends.

Chase understood that; he was his father's son.

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Geana stood on the balcony now, letting the cool air blow against her skin, she wore a silk camisole and matching panties and felt no shame at all as she gazed across her yard at his window.

Daryl was smoking when he walked into his room, but he put the cigarette out in an ashtray on his dresser and turned towards her. They were all of fifty feet apart as he pulled his shirt over his head never taking his eyes from her, and the look on his face was pure sex. She felt her stomach flip in the familiar way it happened when she looked at him.

He felt it too; she was finally sure of it. Geana had never been sure of herself at all, thanks to another man. But this one? He had made things clear to her in every way, and especially the night before and so, she took one of the biggest risks of her life and motioned with her finger for him to come there.

Dancing in the moonlight,

Everybody's feelin' warm and right

It's such a fine and natural sight

Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight.

Daryl flew out his front door with no shoes on and ran all the way there. He was banging on her door within minutes, Geana rushed down the stairs to open the door. She stood there for a moment, knowing he was on the other side and once she opened the door, there would be no going back. She screwed up her courage and then she opened the door to her shirtless, shoeless neighbor, who was out of breath from running to her house and took a step into the unknown.

"You sure about this?" He asked nearly breathless and running his hand through his out of control hair, thinking to himself, please, please be sure.

"I called you over didn't I?" She replied, "But this might complicate things a little," She said as they stared at each other.

She was too sexy to resist, standing there out of breath like he was and he didn't want to resist her.

"Don't care, I live for complications," He said stepping over the threshold and closing the door, he was in her space in an instant. Geana let him take control of the situation as he placed his hands on her cheeks and looked into her eyes.

They stood there for a beat, looking at each other.

Then his lips were on hers as she pressed her body against his hard frame. It did feel good to be in a man's arms again. His hands were all over her and her hands traveled over him in an instant, finally.

Daryl backed her up against the far wall in the foyer and dove in to give her the hottest, dirtiest kiss she had ever had. His tongue took over her mouth like he owned her and maybe he would, maybe he did already.

"It's a good idea then?" She asked when they came up for air a minute later.

"It's a very good idea," He said running his lips over her neck as she pushed against him, already on fire from his hot mouth on her skin.

He felt as good as she imagined, better even. Her blood was boiling in her veins already.

"In fact, I think it's the best damn idea my dumbass has come up with in a long time." He said, going in for another scorching kiss.

Geana couldn't argue with that; she'd only said it might get complicated, so it was out in the open. They had been hurling towards this for weeks now, and they both knew it. She wanted him desperately, and after kissing him? Well, she'd fall at his feet right there in the foyer of her house if he wanted her to.

 _Dancing in the moonlight._

Her ex-husband never kissed her like that, like he needed it to live. Daryl's lips and teeth consumed her, and as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her, there was no doubt that it was on. He picked her up while her back was against the wall and her legs wrapped around his waist.

Both of them let out a groan at the contact of their bodies this way, and she pulled him close, sliding her arms around his neck. He kissed her again and again as they pressed their bodies together and his hands traveled over her ass, pulling her against him tighter.

"Here, or upstairs," Was all he said, and she motioned to the stairs beside them. Daryl nodded once adjusted her in his arms and carried her up the stairs to her room. He kicked the door shut and tossed her on the bed, taking a minute to glance at the window that faced his.

Then Daryl crawled over top of her and kissed her again, "Do you want to stop?" He knew all about consent and practiced what he preached to Chase.

"No," Geana squeaked out as his lips made their way down her neck and his hands moved down her ribcage, "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

"It's mutual sweetheart," He groaned sucking on the tender skin of her collar bone and pulling her shirt over her head.

Daryl gazed down at her; she was incredible.

 _Everybody's feeling warm and right; it's_ _such a fine and natural sight, everybody was dancing in the moonlight._

"You are so beautiful," He murmured, not taking his eyes from hers.

Daryl leaned down and kissed her again, and there was something so desperate in his kiss like he couldn't get enough of her; it was addicting to her.

Geana ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer, she could feel him hard against the thin material of her panties, and she wanted him. She rocked her hips against his, and slid her leg around his to pull him closer, Daryl let out a moan that went right through her.

He kissed along her neck, stopping to suck and then across her chest and collar bones with little kisses as he moved down lower. His hand made quick work of the front clasp bra she had on, and it was gone in no time, replaced with his hand and it was she who moaned then.

Daryl's hands were rough; a working man's hands just like she imagined, and they felt so good on her soft skin. She reached around and slid her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and pulled him against her, spreading her legs wider. Her hands slid up over his back, and she pulled him closer still, feeling his dick against her, hard and inviting.

There was no relief to get from this fever she was in now, and she reached for the buckle of his pants.

Daryl pushed her hand away gently, "Not yet sweetheart," He said softly as his lips found her right nipple and his hand slid to the left.

"Oh, god," She moaned, arching her back and bringing her chest closer to him.

"Tell me you want this with me," He groaned swirling his tongue around her nipple. Daryl couldn't explain why he needed to hear that, but he did. Even though they had been playing this game for over two weeks and it was blatantly obvious what they both wanted, he still needed to hear it out loud from her.

"I want it, all of it," She ran her hands through his hair, "I want all of you."

"I've wanted to touch you so badly," Daryl said, running his hands over her hips. His lips and tongue were all over her breasts, and he could hear her breathing becoming ragged, while her body moved against him.

She wanted him, and that excitement was contagious like a sickness he didn't want to be cured of.

"Touch me," She moaned, "Please." She ran her hands over his back and ass then brought them around to the front of his jeans. He was hard as stone, and he moaned when she moved her small hand along the length of him, "I wanna touch you."

Geana unbuckled his jeans and reached inside his pants to grasp him, and Daryl's breath caught in his chest at the feel of her hand. Geana slid her hand over the length of him, and he responded "Oh Fuck," in a slow throaty groan.

Already she had him worked up into a frenzy, and he knew he needed to slow down. He hadn't been touched by a woman in years or touched a woman, and he wanted to feel what he'd been seeing all this time.

Daryl ground his hips against her hand and reached lower over her hips to bring his fingers to the outside of her panties.

Geana moaned her approval, and the sound made him almost explode, her response to him made his dick throb anew as she continued stroking him. It felt so good, too good.

"You gotta slow down sweetheart," He murmured, reaching down and pulling her hand out of his pants, "Or this is gonna be over way before I want it to be."

He kissed her again and brought his hands back over her stomach as she hissed out a breath. She couldn't get enough of his touch; he was firm but gentle, so unlike what she had been used to.

Slowly he inched his hand down under the elastic of her panties, and he found her wet, "Fuck me Geana that's nice," He groaned as his fingers connected with her skin, it was sweet torture and her back arched off the bed.

"Oh god, more," She moaned, and he slid a finger inside her, then another as his thumb brushed against the bundle of nerves that was the center of her world right now. It had been a long time for her, "Oh, I'm gonna…"

"Don't cum yet, Geana," He said as he swiftly pulled his fingers away from her and she sighed.

"Please…" If he wanted her to beg for it, she would.

"Not yet, I'll make it so good, I promise," He whispered as his lips made their way over her stomach, and lower still until his face was against her panties. Daryl breathed her in and moved his lips and tongue against the damp material. Geana was coming undone fast as Daryl brought his hands over her thighs letting his thumbs swipe across the material, making her arch her back in pleasure.

Daryl continued, alternating with his fingers and tongue across her panties until Geana's body was on fire for him, and she was mumbling gibberish, then he pulled her panties down her legs.

Slowly he brought his hands over the inside of her thighs and pulled her legs apart, he gazed down at her with lust hooded eyes and felt dizzy. Dizzy from the sight of her like this, dizzy from the throbbing of his dick straining behind the denim of his jeans.

Then his mouth was on her thigh, and he licked her with the flat of his tongue nice and slow until he got where he wanted to be.

"Daryl," She panted, "I haven't had sex in years, I don't think...ahhh."

He licked her again, swirling his tongue around her clit achingly slow and her legs began to shake.

"Me either," He looked up at her from between her thighs and kissed the side of her knee, "You like that sweetheart?"

"Yes," Geana gripped the sheets next to her as he licked his way from her knee to her inner thigh, "Yes."

"Good idea baby, hang on tight," He said with a wink, then he dove in for the kill.

Soon she was falling apart and screaming his name in the darkness, her hands all over him trying to pull his jeans down. She didn't care that she was acting desperate, she was desperate for it now.

"You sure," He asked as he hovered above her. Geana nodded, and that was all the encouragement he needed. Her brought his lips to hers and kissed her dirty, all lips and tongue as they both shucked off his jeans and boxers.

"I'm sure, Daryl, I'm sure," She panted, "Hurry."

"Wait, should I get…"

"It's ok," She pulled him close against her, and he nodded that he understood what she meant.

"Oh fuck yes. Fuck. Yes," Daryl moaned as he entered her slowly, wanting to savor every part of her. She was tight and warm and wet, and his head was spinning from the feel of her. He found a slow, steady pace, even though every cell in his body wanted to fuck her into the mattress.

There was time for that later, for now, he took it nice and slow with lots of kissing and lovely words for her. The moved together in sync as they touched and kissed each other's bodies, untroubled that they were both sweating.

Daryl pushed her hair out of her face and kissed her sweetly again, then trailed kisses down over her neck and murmured to her again that she was beautiful and felt so good.

He watched the skin across her chest flushing and her breathing becoming faster, "Are you close?" Daryl asked, and she nodded.

"So close," Geana moaned.

Then he stepped up the pace just a little bit to tip her over the edge again before he let go completely.

"Let it go, give it to me; I want it so bad," Daryl moaned into her ear, and Geana's body reacted immediately to his words; he owned her already.

"Daryl," She moaned, and he loved the sound of his name on her lips like this, "Oh, oh, oh god Daryl," She wrapped her legs around his waist and met him thrust for thrust in all-consuming passion, which would burn her alive.

Geana was on sensory overload now, the sweat dripping over her body in a light sheen mingling with his, and the weight of him on top of her, it was too much for her, and she came screaming his name over and over again. Her body shook uncontrollably, and she felt it from head to toe, a tidal wave of pleasure that consumed her entire being.

Daryl had been holding back, trying to keep his mind focused on her and now he let it affect him. He felt his heart pounding out of his chest and the burning need inside himself to make her his forever, and he let the feeling wash over him like a wave.

He rolled over so that she was on top of him, keeping his hands on her waist and Geana looked down at him as she moved her hips over his. Her hair was wild and in her face, and she didn't stop moving as she slid her hands over his chest and gazed down at him.

"Do it," She murmured, leaning down to kiss him and it was way too much for him, "Fuck me, Daryl, fuck me good, do it!" She brought her lips down to his neck and sucked hard, and he was done for; between her lips and dirty mouth, he was a goner.

Daryl followed her over the edge as her body and her words pulled his orgasm out of him with a sweet force unlike he'd ever known. He couldn't stop the string of profanity that came from his lips as the back of his eyes went white, and it seemed to last forever.

When she was sure he was done Geana collapsed on top of him, and Daryl pulled her close to his body, she fit, right there under his arm like she belonged there.

"I gotta see you again," He breathed out, as he wrapped his arms around her and settled her beside him and she laughed.

"You see me every day, Daryl."

He rolled over to the face her and pulled her close, placing his lips to the side of her head, "I mean I don't want this to be a one-time thing," He settled his eyes on hers.

"Nothing with us is ever a one-time thing," She said giving him a soft kiss.


	15. Chapter 15

The headlights from the car danced across the ceiling of Geana's bedroom as she and Daryl laid there talking, actually talking now. They were facing each other after making love again, faster and harder the second time, but with just as much feeling and expression.

Now they faced each other touching and kissing a little bit while having a real, adult conversation about feelings and fears.

They had talked about their pasts, and Geana told him about getting her tubes tied when her marriage tanked shortly after Kelsey was born. She'd never wanted another child with the man she had been married to.

She explained that the need for birth control was not necessary, and he was relieved because he felt not only out of practice, but reckless that night, which wasn't his style.

He'd had condoms in his pocket, because that was the way the world was now, even if you knew someone you had to be careful, that's what he'd always told Chase. Geana told her girls the same thing, and he hadn't led by example.

That bothered Daryl until she explained to him that she couldn't have any more children.

Neither of them had been with anyone else, but their former spouses and both had been cheated on, and this step they just took was a big one for both of them. Talking everything out seemed not only wise but necessary.

Daryl told her about being dumped via a letter that listed everything that was bad about him and they agreed never to treat each other that way. They lived next door to each other and at the very least considered themselves friends.

Friends that would always treat each other with respect and care as they figured this new thing out.

He had just been about to kiss her again, wanting his hands on her again, like a kid with a new toy, planning to try and get her to fool around some more when they saw the headlights.

Now they could hear Greta's car pulling up, it was an old Impala, and there was no mistaking the sound of the motor he, Chase and Merle had jacked up in that car.

Daryl sat straight up in bed and looked towards the window, even though he already knew what was happening.

"Oh god dammit the kids are back early," He said pulling his pants back on over his half hard dick and peering out the window at Chase and Greta bringing Tara and Kelsey inside his house. "Don't they play Rocky Horror at midnight anymore?"

He realized, too late, that he didn't have a shirt or shoes because he had run to her house in a frenzy after starting to strip for her in the window. He looked around for something to wear, and Geana threw him a Metallica t-shirt from her dresser.

"11 pm," Geana said with a giggle. "They still call it midnight madness though."

Daryl looked down at her as she reached for her clothes, he took her chin in one of his hands gently.

"I wasn't done with you, just so that you know."

His eyes bored into her, and she felt chills just by the way he looked at her. Good chills. Fantastic, butterfly in the stomach chills.

He made her feel like a young girl again.

"At least they went to your house first," Geana said pulling on a t-shirt and jeans, " Come on, just be cool." She said as she led him out of her room.

"I feel like I'm sixteen hiding from my parents," He said giving her a quick kiss, "To be continued."

Geana breathed in a breath and placed her hand on her chest. He had read her mind and said exactly what she had been feeling and thinking.

If it hadn't made her so deliriously happy it might have spooked her, but she wasn't, she felt understood in a way that no man had understood her before.

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When the kids came over after not finding Daryl at home, which was odd to them and a little worrisome, they were greeted by Geana and him sitting on the deck. They had two glasses of iced tea in front of them, and he had lit a cigarette as if they had been sitting there for hours.

"Hey," He said as they all piled out onto the deck, single file all six of them.

"You two hanging out now?" Tara asked.

"It's late," Chase said giving his father the eye, he also knew damn well something was up, his father didn't have that Metallica shirt, it was 'Ride the Lightning.' Daryl had the 'And Justice for All' one, and he was barefoot, but Chase wasn't saying a word.

"Yeah," Daryl said the ignoring his comment, "I got a curfew all of the sudden?"

"I'm just sayin," Chase laughed with a shrug as the kids sat down at the table with them.

"So," Tara said, "Who wants to play 'Cards Against Humanity'?"

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"Mom. Greta kissed me."

"Was it your first kiss?"

"First girl, and yeah. I'm definitely gay." Tara replied.

"Fireworks?" Geana asked as Tara laid down on the bed next to her.

Because that was the only kind of kiss, she'd want now that she had gotten that tonight, or that she'd want for either of her daughters.

"Yeah Mom,"

"I'm so happy for you "

"You need to be kissed like that I know Keith didn't. " Tara said turning and looking into her eyes.

"He didn't love me, honey. It wasn't his fault. "

"Yes, it was. I know about the stuff Keith used to say to you. You aren't ugly, or fat. And I want someone to make you believe it. "

"It's ok honey, I know that was his problem, not mine. "

"He looks at you. " Tara murmured.

Geana eyes widened, "Who?"

"Chases father, Daryl. When you aren't looking, I've seen it. He likes you. "

"You think?"

Geana knew he liked her. He liked her twice just this evening she thought to herself with a grin.

"Chase and I are just friends, and we're still going to prom. We decided it's better that way," Kelsey said from the doorway, "It's totally cool though. "

Tara rolled her eyes, "Not for nothing Kels, but I saw him put his arm around you during the movie. But you keep telling yourself that."

Kelsey stuck her tongue out and then she hopped on the bed with Tara and Geana.

"Tara's right. I saw Chase's dad checking you out the other night. "

"Can Christopher sleepover tomorrow night," Tara asked, "His Dad is on the warpath again."

"Sure," Geana said as she put an arm around each daughter, "I love you both so much."

"I'm worried about Chris," Tara said, "Maybe he could stay a few days?"

"Sure," Geana said as she ran her fingers through Tara's hair and pushed it behind her ear, "Whatever he needs, you know that."

"Thank you, Mom," Tara said, "Also Anthony has a drag show on Thursday, he's leaving tickets for us at the door."

"Awesome, I'll be there," Geana said, then she took a deep breath and asked the question because she never kept secrets or lied to her girls, "What would you girls think about me seeing Daryl?"

"We'd say it's about time, "Tara said, and Kelsey agreed. Soon the girls were off to their rooms to go to sleep, and Geana rolled over onto her pillow and breathed in the scent of him that was still there. She couldn't fall asleep though; there was so much to think about now.


	16. Chapter 16

Daryl texted her at 2:30 am because he couldn't sleep now that he was thinking of her again. He rolled over and looked out the window; her light was on. It was like a beacon calling him, the light at the end of Daisy's dock that Gatsby was so enthralled with and he understood that longing, all too well.

~Chase thinks I should take you on a date. Ya wanna?

~I don't put out on the first date, just so that you know. :)

~ Fine by me.

~I'm lying about that.

~I know ;) and I'm glad.

~ ;)

~Seven tomorrow. We can go on the bike.

~Perfect.

~Oh and Geana?

~Yes

~You may want to drink some coffee before we go out ;)

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Tara, Geana, Chris and Kelsey all sat at the kitchen table while Chris put ice on his eye the next day. He had a shiner compliments of his father's rage, over who he was and it broke Geana's heart. She wrapped her arms around the young boy and hugged him close to her.

"Thanks, Mom," Chris said to her and she kissed his cheek.

It was a common occurrence, and Geana had called child services before in Chris' parents, but it did no good.

In this backward town, no one cared that a gay kid was being abused by his father. No one gave a shit. A lot of Tara's friends were abused at home, both physically and emotionally, and that was nothing compared to what happened at school.

Geana had been down there more than a few times trying to enact change, and she would never give up either.

"You heard of pray the gay away. My old man says to beat the gay out of me." Chris said solemnly.

"Your father is a dick."

"Kelsey!" Geana said as she opened the door to Daryl, " Hey, come on in, might need a rain check. I have a situation here. "

Daryl nodded as he saw Chris placing the ice on his eye and Tara sitting next to him rubbing his back. It was a sweet gesture, both of Geana's girls took after her in that way.

The kids came first, for both of them. He got it, Geana was as he was, and he wouldn't want her to be any other way. He had been on the receiving end of a parent's rage as a child, and he understood it. There had been no Geana for him and Merle, no advocate or protection. He understood this kid, who was unloved because he was different and Daryl was glad he had someone in his corner.

Soon the front door opened and Chase and Greta arrived, followed by more of Tara's friends, Emily, John, and Matthew. The house was alive with teenage chatter and Daryl could feel the joy that was in this home, and he was so grateful that he and Chase were a part of it tonight.

"Mommy," Emily exclaimed as Geana hugged all of them and Daryl just watched in awe as she hugged and kissed each kid and made them feel special with just a few words.

"I need to warn you. I'm the gay kid den mother around here. "

Daryl smiled, Geana was something else. "My sister in law Andrea would be the same, Greta's mom. You'd like her."

"I'd love to meet her "

"Can we crash tonight?" John asked, and Geana nodded, she never said no to the kids who needed a safe place to be. The world considered them broken, in need of some truth to change them, here, with her they had unconditional love.

"Mom, don't let us ruin your date. You two go," Tara said from the kitchen.

But Geana was already shaking her head no, and Daryl spoke up "Maybe later, I'll take her out on the bike. Don't worry ok?"

"I'll order pizza, and you all go pick a movie," Then she turned to Daryl, "You sure you don't mind?"

"I ain't going nowhere."

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Later after they had all eaten and the kids were all lying around the den in the basement watching 'Resident Evil' and comparing it to the video game, Daryl walked up behind her as she washed dishes.

She felt his breath on the back of her neck as he kissed the side of her neck from behind and her senses were on alert. Then he slowly brought his arms around her and lay them on her hips.

"Now that everything settled down. How about that ride?" He whispered into her ear in such a way that she wondered what exactly he was offering.

Whatever he was selling she was buying, his voice made all the hair on her body stand on end, and she could feel his effect on her.

It felt good, and she wanted that good feeling, after being alone for so long.

"You know we did this backward." She said with a small laugh.

"I know, " He pulled her back against his chest and kissed her neck again, "It's alright. Eventually, we'll get to go on a proper date."

He turned her around so that she was in his arms and gazed into her eyes. Then his lips were on hers, soft and gentle. He reached under her thighs and picked her up to sit her on the counter and be closer to her.

"You like to throw me around don't you," She said with a smile, and he nodded, as he ran his lips over her neck.

"It's my favorite thing in the world to do," He said and then kissed her again.

 _ **Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think xxxxKrissy**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story. It really came from my heart, these kids are based on my daughter and her friends, they're all real, except for Daryl of course. xoxoxo Krissy**_

"All I know is he's lonely," Chase said, "And he smiles a lot now."

"So is she, my dad is a douche, he never treated her right," Kelsey replied, and Tara nodded.

"Huge douche, super-sized douche," Tara said, "Do you think they were… last night, I mean…" She had it in her mind about Daryl wearing Geana's shirt, or what she thought was her shirt.

Chase bit his tongue, truthfully he didn't want to think about it, he'd seen the hickey on his father's neck, but thinking about how it got there was too much to handle, "I believe that it's becoming a thing."

"I fucking hope so," Kelsey said as Tara turned to her and smacked her for cursing, for a young girl she used a lot of four letter words.

Tara was about to lay into her for it when there was a commotion as Matthew came downstairs from the bathroom.

"Oh my God," Matthew came crashing through the door like it was a horror movie and cleared his throat, "Dude, I just saw your Dad," He pointed to Chase and then to Tara, "And Mom playing tonsil hockey in the kitchen. I'm so triggered right now!"

"Oh trigger this," John replied and smacked his friend in the arm.

"Bitch, fuck me uuuuuppppp," Mathew said hitting him back playfully and the two boys started wrestling on the floor. Soon Chris joined in and before long there was a huge dog pile of happy kids on the floor.

Life was good, even when it sometimes threw you curve balls that you didn't see coming. As long as you always had a safe place to land.

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"You got a little love bite there, brother, " Merle remarked later when Daryl stopped by his house later to drop Greta off. Andrea and Greta went outside to give them a chance to talk, under the excuse that they needed to water the plants outside. Andrea was smooth and Daryl couldn't wait to introduce her to Geana.

Daryl and Geana never got to go out that night but it was okay with him. They were going out on the bike the next day while all the kids were at a charity car wash for school. They would be busy from early in the morning to later at night, so the two grown ups planned to spend the day together.

Geana hadn't wanted to leave that night because although the kids seemed fine, she still felt like she wanted to be there with them in case they needed to talk. He got that and knew it was nothing personal, he knew her well enough to know that.

"Zip it." Daryl said popping open a beer and taking a long pull from it.

"You finally took her out I guess." Merle said, as they leaned on counters oposite each other in the kitchen.

Daryl shook his head, "Tomorrow, I'll be gone all day, so don't wait up."

"Oh ok so you just fucked her, cut to the chase," Merle laughed, "Good for you!"

"Whatever," Daryl replied with a laugh as he walked into the bathroom with a shake of his head. He had to laugh about it because while he was at Geana's earlier, her friend Meghan had called and pretty much did the same thing that Merle just did. Meghan had even demanded to talk to him on the phone and pretty much gave him the third degree.

Daryl assured her that his intentions were honorable to her friend and Meghan invited herself over to meet him later that week. Geana told him to make sure he had alot of sleep the night before because Meghan was like a tornado and would leave him exhausted just by meeting her.

He didn't care, Daryl wanted to be a part of all of Geana's life, and know everything and everyone in it. He'd known it all along, he could love her, probably did already. He'd told her that too, "I could love you," and she'd said, "I could love you too."

"Seriously brother, Good for you." Merle called out to him.

Daryl opened the door when he was done and shocked Merle with the biggest smile Merle had ever seen, "Thanks brother."

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The next morning Geana stood in front of the mirror in her closet as she picked out her clothes for the day. She had settled on a tank top and jeans and she pulled them on quickly to make sure the shirt covered the marks he had left on her chest a few nights ago.

She knew they had to talk about things and she might as well tell him right from the jump how she felt. Being in love with someone wasnt always easy or conventional and she had very clear ideas about what she wanted in life.

They had always been on the same page before, she hoped they would be on this too.

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They rode for what seemed like hours to Geana and she was surprised that she loved being on the back of his bike. At first she was scared but as the day went on she became more comfortable and by the time they stopped at a park Daryl knew about she felt like they had been doing this forever.

They stopped for lunch at a little diner he knew about, and then they were off again on the bike again for parts unknown to her. She didnt care, they had the whole day and this gave her time to think about things she wanted to say to him.

They had decided that they would talk about things when they stopped by the lake, and for the first time in her life Geana was unafraid to tell a man what she wanted and needed. It was a freedom that made her heart sing.

Every once in a while while they rode along the road Daryl would reach back and run his hand along her leg. It was such a small gesture, but it made her feel so good and by that time she already had her arms around him, being sure to hug him close to her at stop lights.

When they stopped, by the clear blue lake Geana ran her hands over his back and lay her head on his shoulder. She breathed in the scent of him, a cross between musk, gasoline and smoke and it relaxed her unlike anything else ever had.

They laid out a blanket and sat oposite each other with a bottle of wine and two glasses that he had produced from the side bags of the bike.

"Trying to get me drunk," She said with a smile.

"Maybe," He said with a shy grin.

"I'm a sure thing Daryl, for you." Geana said as she sipped her wine.

Daryl laid back and held his hand out to her. Geana took his hand and lay down next to him, laying her head on his chest.

"Finally, our first date," She said with a laugh.

"More than worth the wait." He replied.

" So we're doing this then?"

"I don't want anyone else but you Geana," He said as he ran his hands over her back.

"Me either," She said turning so that they were facing each other, "But you see how my life is, with all the kids in and out, I don't always have a lot of time."

"And I'm right next door, and know how to find you,"

"Kelsey and Chase?" Geana said.

"They don't care, neither does Tara,"

"That's not what I mean exactly," She said as she sat up.

"Listen," He said pulling her back down to him, "I know that this might get weird sometimes, if they start dating, but we can handle anything together. I'm not gonna rush you into anything, cause I know you got burned before just as bad as I did."

"So we can take it one day at a time," She said looking into his eyes, "No expectations, just be together," She said and he nodded, "See what happens?"

"Any way you want it as long as we do it together," He answered, "That's all that matters to me."

"Me too," Geana said, "But I'm scared too."

Daryl slipped his arm around her and pulled her close, "Me too."

"What if I said I never want to get married again," She said, "What if I just want to date you, sleep together and live seperatly till we're old and gray?"

"Then I'd say, I'm just next door, you know how to find me." He said, placing a kiss on the side of her head and she turned and kissed his lips.

Daryl pulled her close to him and then she knew, she had finally found her safe place to land too.

The End


End file.
